•  ,** 

"V   I  *  A  -^\ 


COLLECTION 


OF 


RARE  AND  ORIGINAL 

Documents  ant  jRelatton0, 

CONCERNING 

"The  Difcovery  and  Conqueft  of  America. 

CHIEFLY  FROM  THE  SPANISH  ARCHIVES. 


No. 


I. 


fit  tfle  ©rfgfnal, 

WITH  TRANSLATIONS,  ILLUSTRATIVE  NOTES,  MAPS,  AND 
BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES", 

BY  E.  G.  SQUIER,  M.  A.,  F.  S.  A. 

Member  of  the  Society  of  Antiquaries  of  France  ;    Royal  Society  of  Antiquaries  of  Den- 
mart  ;   Archaeological   Inftitute   of  Great    Britain  :   American   Ethnological   Society, 


A  LE  ANT: 

J.   MUNSELL,   78   State  Street. 
MDCCCLX. 


Pvs 


1    I    I 


C    A    R   T   A 

DIRIJIDA    AL 

RET    D  E    E  S  P  A  N  A, 

FOR    EL 

Licenciado  DR.  DON 

DIEGO  GARCIA  DE  PA  LA  CIO, 

Oydor  de  la  Real  Audiencla  de  Guatemala ; 
A  no    1576. 


Being  a  Defcription  of  the  Ancient  Provinces  of 
Guazacapan,  Izalco,  Cuicatlan,  and  Chiquimula, 
in  the  Audiencia  of  Guatemala : 

WITH 

An  Account  of  the  Languages,  Cufloms  and  Religion 
of  their  Aboriginal  Inhabit  ant  s>  and  a 

DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  RUINS  OF  COPAN. 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


Relation  of  the  Licentiate  Dr. 
Don  Diego  Garcia  de  Palacio,  Audit 
or  of  the  Audiencia  of  Guatemala, 
written  in  1576,  and  addreffed  to 
the  King  of  Spain,  is  now  for  the 
firft  Time  publifhed  in  the  original  Spanim.  It  is 
from  a  manufcript  Copy  made  by  the  Hiflorian 
Muftoz,  and  preferved  in  the  Royal  Academy  of 
Hiftory  at  Madrid.1  A  French  tranflation  was 
publifhed  at  Paris  in  1840,  by  M.  Ternaux-Com- 
pans,  in  a  Work  entitled  Recueil  de  Documents  et 
Memoir es  Originaux  fur  PHi/loire  des  PoJJeJpons 


1  Acknowledgment  is  due  to 
BUCKINGHAM  SMITH,  Efq.,  late  Se 
cretary  of  the  Legation  of  the 
United  States  in  Madrid,  for  pro 
curing  and  verifying  the  Manufcript 
from  which  the  Spanifh  Text  of 
this  Relation  is  printed.  The 
Publick  is  already  largely  indebted 
to  his  intelligent  Zeal  for  the  Pub 


lication  of  a  mod  valuable  Collec 
tion  of  original  Documents,  obtain 
ed  from  the  Spanim  Archives,  en 
titled,  Collection  de  Doeumentos 
para  la  Hiftoria  de  Florida,  y 
Tierras  Adyacentes,  as  well  as  for 
previous  Tranflations  of  rare  Tradfo 
and  Papers  illuftrative  of  the  Hiftory 
of  Florida. 


E'4',1 

Efpagnoles  dans  F  Amerique,  etc.  But  the  Tranfla- 
tion,  in  a  number  of  important  Refpe&s,  is  both 
imperfect  and  inaccurate,  and  fails,  as  all  Tranf- 
lations  muft  fail,  in  meeting  the  Requirements  of 
the  critical  Student.  It  is  with  a  full  Confciouf- 
nefs  of  this  inevitable  Refult,  that  I  prefent  a 
Tranflation  of  my  own ;  but  I  confider  that  the 
Prefumption  of  the  Attempt  is  atoned  for  by 
the  Circumftance,  that  I  give,  at  the  fame  Time, 
the  original  Text,  fo  that  every  Inquirer  may 
form  his  own  Eftimate  of  its  Senfe,  and  of  the 
Spirit  which  pervades  it.  To  me  the  Relation 
has  a  fpecial  Intereft.  I  have  been  over  a  great 
Part  of  the  Ground  that  was  traverfed  by  its 
Author,  and  I  am  deeply  imprefled  with  the 
Accuracy  of  his  Defcriptions.  Nothing  could  be 
more  ExadT:  than  his  Accounts  of  the  phyfical 
Features  and  natural  Productions  of  the  Districts 
of  Country  which  he  vifited,  and  his  Truthfulnefs, 
in  thefe  Refpefts,  infpires  complete  Confidence  in 
thofe  portions  of  his  Narrative  which  we  are  no 
longer  able  to  verify.  He  was  a  clofe  Obferver, 
and  a  careful  Narrator,  and  his  Memoir  to  the 
King  of  Spain  will  always  ftand  as  one  of  the  bed 
Illustrations  of  an  interefting  Country,  as  it  was  at 


[  5  ] 

the  Period  immediately  fucceeding  the  Conqueft. 
It  feems  that  in  Obedience  to  a  general  Order  of 
the  Crown,  addrefled  to  the  Audiencias,  Palacio 
was  deputed  to  viiit  a  Number  of  the  Provinces  of 
Guatemala ;  but  Circumftances  which  he  alludes  to, 
in  the  clofing  Paragraphs  of  his  Relation,  limited 
his  inquiries  to  that  Part  of  the  Coaft  of  the  Pacific, 
lying  between  the  river  Michatoyat  on  one  fide 
and  the  river  Lempa  on  the  other,  and  extending 
Inland  as  far  as  the  Ruins  of  Copan  and  the  City 
of  Chiquimula  —  a  DiftricT:  one  hundred  and  fifty 
Miles  long  by  a  hundred  Miles  broad,  or  rather 
lefs  than  a  twelfth  of  the  Area  comprifed  in  the 
ancient  Audiencia  of  Guatemala.  The  Memoir 
in  Fact,  relates  principally  and  effentially  to  the 
ancient  Cufcatlan,  the  prefent  Republick  of  San 
Salvador,  which  was  found  occupied  by  a  People 
of  the  Nahuatl  or  Mexican  Stock,  furrounded  on 
all  fides  by  Nations  of  different  Languages,  towards 
fome  of  whom  they  held  a  Pofition  of  Superiority, 
and  by  fome  of  whom  they  were  regarded  with 
Hoftility  and  Contempt.  No  rational  Account 
of  their  Origin,  nor  even  a  plaufible  Tradition 
refpecling  it  has  reached  us ;  and  the  Problem 
whether,  in  common  with  another  Family  of  the 


[  6  ] 

lame  Stock,  on  the  Shores  of  Lake  Nicaragua,  they 
were  a  Colony  from  the  Plains  of  Anahuac,  and 
an  orHhoot  from  the  Mexican  Empire,  or  confti^ 
tuted  the  parent  Stock  whence  the  latter  Sprung  - 
for  the  Prefent  at  leaft,  this  Problem  remains  open 
to  Inveftigation,  and  without  a  fatisfaclory  Solution. 
The  Relation  of  Palacio  was  largely  ufed  by 
Herrera,  who  drew  from  it  the  whole  of 
Chapters  viii,  ix,  and  x,  of  the  Eighth  Book  of  his 
Fourth  Decade.  But  his  Extracts  were  careleflly 
made,  and  in  a  few  Inftances  convey  a  different 
Meaning  from  the  Original.  Nor  were  they  in  all 
Refpedls  judicious,  at  leaft  as  regards  modern  Re 
quirements,  fince  fome  of  the  mod  interesting  Por 
tions  are  not  only  omitted,  but  passed  over  without 
Notice.  The  prefent  Publication  will  fupply  thefe 
Omiffions,  and  furnifh  new  and  valuable  Materials 
for  Hiftorical  and  Archaeological  Inquiry.  As 
regards  the  general  Character  of  the  People  of 
Cufcatlan,  but  efpecially  as  regards  their  religious 
Rites  and  Ceremonies,  it  is  probably  fufficiently 
full  and  fatisfa&ory.  It  does  not  treat  of  their  civil 
and  political  Organizations,  inafmuch  as  thefe  had 
difappeared,  or  had  been  greatly  modified  under  the 
Authority  of  the  Spaniards.  As  regards  the  Coun- 


[  7  ] 

try  itfelf,  and  its  more  remarkable  Features,  Produc 
tions  and  Refources,  I  repeat,  it  is  equally  Exact 
and  Interefting.  But  probably  the  moft  interefting 
Part  of  the  Relation,  is  the  Account  which  it  con 
tains  of  the  Ruins,  ancient  even  when  Palacio 
wrote,  and  now  known,  from  their  Proximity  to  the 
little  Town  of  that  Name,  as  the  Ruins  of  Copan. 
The  wonderful  Accuracy  of  Palacio's  Defcription 
of  thefe  Remains  will  appear  on  comparing  it  with 
the  Accounts  of  Galindo  and  Stephens,  and  the 
Drawings  of  Catherwood.  The  "  Giants,"  with 
what  he  regarded  as  Armor  "  in  Mofaic,"  and  with 
"  Ribbons  around  their  Legs";  the  "  Bifhops"  with 
"  Rings  on  their  Fingers"  and  holding  "  Packets, 
refembling  Boxes"  in  their  Hands  ;  the  Altars,  or 
facrificial  Stones,  with  Grooves  and  Refervoirs 
"  for  the  Blood  of  the  Victims"  ;  the  graduated 
Pyramids ;  the  great  Circus  refembling  the  "  Coli- 
feum  of  Rome ;"  the  Terrace  dominating  the  River, 
with  its  flights  of  Steps  reaching  to  the  Water ;  the 
fubterranean  Paffages  -  -  nothing  could  be  more 
graphic  or  truthful  than  his  Account  of  them  all. 
And  it  is  remarkable,  not  to  fay  inexplicable,  that 
Herrera  mould  have  wholly  omitted  any  Allufion 
to  thefe  Monuments.  None  of  the  Conquerors 


[  8  1 

mention  them,  nor  do  they  appear  to  have  been 
noticed  by  any  of  the  Chroniclers  of  the  Country 
down  to  the  Time  of  Fuentes,  who  wrote  in  1689, 
upwards  of  one  hundred  Years  after  Palacio. 
From  his  Manufcript,  Juarros,  in  1809,  drew  a 
brief  Notice  of  them,  which  is  not  however,  either 
in  Completenefs  or  Accuracy,  at  all  comparable  with 
that  of  Palacio.  Later,  in  1835,  Col.  Galindo, 
an  Officer  in  the  Service  of  the  Republick  of  Central 
America,  publifhed  a  fhort  Defcription  in  the 
Tranfactions  of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society, 
and  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Geographical  Society 
of  Paris.  And  finally,  in  1841,  they  were  in  good 
part  defcribed  by  Stephens,  and  admirably  illuftrat- 
ed  by  Catherwood,  and  for  the  firft  Time,  fairly 
prefented  to  the  World  —  a  Wonder  to  the  Curi 
ous,  and  an  Enigma  to  the  Student. 

Galindo a  who  had  an  inquiring  Mind,  but  a  very 
fuperficial  Education,  mifled  by  the  Name  given 

2  The  Words  of  Galindo  are  as  "  fiderable   Number   of    auxiliary 

follows :   "  Palenque  w^s  abandon-  "  Indians,  defpatched  from  Guate- 

ed,  and  the  Memory  of  its  Ex-  "  mala,  captured  this  Place,  though 

iftence    appears    to    have    been  "  they  met  with  great  Oppofition 

obliterated  before  the  Conqueft ;  <f  on  their  March,  and  a  Reliftance 

whereas    the     Spaniards     found  *'  here  worthy  of  better  Means  and 

Copan  inhabited  and  in  the  Sum-  "  Succefs."     (Trans.    Am.    Antq. 

mit  of  its  Perfection.   *    *    *    *  "  Soc.,  11,  549.) 
A  fmall  Spanifh  Force  with  a  con- 


[9  J. 

to  the  Ruins,  believed  them  to  be  the  Remains  of  the 
Town  of  Copan,  captured  and  deftroyed  by  Her- 
nando  de  Chavez  in  1530.  Stephens,  alfo,  fell 
into  fome  Confufion  on  the  Subject,  and  copied 
out  Juarros's  Account  of  the  Capture  of  Copan ; 
yet  the  extent  and  evident  Antiquity  of  the 
Monuments  forced  him  to  doubt  the  Identity  of  the 
Spot  with  that  of  the  Town  deftroyed  by  Chavez. 
And  although  it  is  fcarcely  poflible  that  any  well- 
informed  Student  in  American  Archaeology  ever 
fell  into  the  fame  Error  with  Galindo,  yet  what 
ever  doubts  may  have  exifted  on  the  Subject,  and 
as  regards  the  high  Antiquity  of  the  Ruins  of 
Copan,  or  rather  of  the  namelefs  Ruins  near  Copan, 
they  are  fet  at  Reft  by  this  Account  of  Palacio. 
They  were  evidently  very  nearly  in  their  prefent 
Condition,  at  the  Time  he  wrote,  three  hundred 
Years  ago,  and  within  fifty  Years  of  the  Conqueft. 
Even  then  their  Hiftory  was  unknown,  and  only 
the  vagueft  Traditions  exifted  regarding  them.  So 
far  as  thefe  Traditions  indicate  that  they  were  built 
by  the  fame  People  who  built  Palenque  and  Ux- 
mal,  and  who  left  maffive  Monuments  of  their 
Skill,  all  the  Way  from  Nicaragua  to  Mexico,  there 
can  be  no  doubt  of  their  accuracy.  The  Hiero- 

2 


glyphics,  fo  called  in  want  of  a  better  Defignation, 
found  on  the  Altars  and  Monoliths  of  Copan, 
are  Identical  in  Character  with  thofe  of  Palenque, 
and  with  thofe  which  have  come  down  to  us 
in  fome  of  the  aboriginal  Paintings.  On  the 
fcore  of  Antiquity,  it  may  be  added,  there  are 
various  Reafons  for  believing,  that  both  Copan 
and  Quirigua  antedate  Olofmgo  and  Palenque, 
precifely  as  the  Latter  antedate  the  Ruins  of 
Quiche,  Chichen-itza  and  Uxmal,  and  that  all 
of  them  were  the  Work  of  the  fame  People,  or 
of  Nations  of  the  fame  Race,  dating  from  a  high 
Antiquity,  and  in  Blood  and  Language  precifely  the 
fame  that  was  found  in  Occupation  of  the  Country 
by  the  Spaniards,  and  who  ftill  conftitute  the  great 
Bulk  of  its  Population. 

It  is  proper  to  fay  in  Conclufion,  and  in  Exten 
uation  of  any  Obfcurities  or  Inaccuracies  in  the 
following  Relation,  that  the  Manufcript  from 
which  it  is  printed  is  not  always  legible,  is  imper 
fectly  punctuated,  and  moreover  abounds  in  ancient 
Forms  of  Orthography  and  Expreflion,  which 
fometimes  leave  the  Tranflator  in  doubt  as  to  the 
Author's  meaning,  and  defy  the  Ingenuity  of  the 
Compofitor  to  make  the  Text  intelligible,  Thofe 


who  are  beft  acquainted  with  the  early  Spanim 
Manufcripts,  are  also  beft  acquainted  with  the 
Difficulties  in  the  Way  of  making  them  out,  and 
will  be  the  moft  lenient  in  refpedt  to  any  Blunders, 
into  which  the  Editor  and  Tranflator  may  have 
fallen. 

New  York,  July,  1859. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTE. 

THE  Author  of  the  following  Relation, 
Doctor  Don  DIEGO  GARCIA  DE  PALA- 
cio,  was  Auditor  of  the  Royal  Audiencia  of 
Guatemala,  and  afterwards  of  that  of  Mexico. 
He  feems  to  have  been  a  Man  of  confiderable 
Intelligence  and  Activity,  with  a  ftrong  martial 
Tendency,  as  mown  in  his  various  Memoirs  and 
Papers.  Nothing  is  known  of  his  Works  anterior 
to  that  which  is  here  prefented.  In  the  fame 
Year  in  which  it  is  dated,  we  find  his  Name  in  a 
Contract  made  with  one  Diego  Lopez  of  Truxillo 
in  Honduras,  for  the  Conqueft  and  Coloniza 
tion  of  the  Province  of  Taguz-galpa,  which 
Name  was  applied  to  the  Atlantic  Coaft  of  Central 
America,  between  Cape  Camaron  and  the  River 
San  Juan,  including  the  whole  of  what  is  now 
called  the  Mofquito  Shore.  He  acted  on  behalf 
of  the  Audiencia  of  Guatemala,  under  Authority 
of  a  royal  Cedula  dated  from  Madrid,  loth  of 
February,  1576.  This  Conceffion  was  concluded 


I    H  1 

December  4th  of  the  fame  Year,  and  the  Original 
is  preferved  in  Seville,  Roll  1 2  of  the  Documents 
entitled  Buen  gobierno  de  Indias.  In  this  he  is  enti 
tled  "  El  Iluftre  Sefior  Licenciado  Diego  Garcia 
de  Palacio,  Oydor  de  la  Real  Audiencia  de  Guate 
mala,  etc." 

On  the  8th  of  March  1578,  he  addreffed  a 
Letter  to  the  King  of  Spain  on  the  Conqueft  and 
Pacification  of  the  Philippine  Iflands,  entitled, 
Cart  a  al  Rey,fobre  la  Conquifta  y  Pacification  de  las 
ijlas  Filipinas,  y  las  Ventajas  de  hacerfe  la  Naviga 
tion  para  elks  defde  el  Puerto  de  Fonfeca. 

The  Original  exifls  in  Seville,  among  the  Papers 
entitled  Papeles  tocantes  d  las  I/las  de  Poniente, 
for  the  Years  1570-1588.  In  this  Palacio  ftrongly 
urged  the  change  of  the  Tranfit  between  the 
Atlantic  and  Pacific,  from  Mexico  and  Panama,  to 
the  Route  through  Honduras  from  Puerto  de  Ca- 
ballos  to  the  Bay  of  Fonfeca. 

Palacio  afpired  to  be  Governor  of  the  Philip 
pines,  and  in  the  Letter  referred  to,  offered  to  reduce 
thofe  Iflands  at  his  own  Coft,  in  cafe  the  Crown 
mould  entruft  him  with  the  Appointment ;  but  the 
Application  does  not  appear  to  have  met  with 
Favour. 


[  -5  ] 

On  the  3Oth  of  April  1579,  he  addrefled  another 
Letter  to  the  Crown,  from  the  Port  of  Realejo  in 
Nicaragua,  giving  an  Account  of  the  "  Robberies 
made  by  the  Corfair  Francis  Drake  on  the  Coafts 
of  Peru,"  etc.,  which  is  alfo  preferved  in  Seville. 

After  reaching  Mexico,  Palacio  publimed  two 
Works  in  that  City,  of  which  the  Titles  are  : 

Dialogos  Militares  de  la  formation  /  information 
de  perfonas,  injirumentos  y  cofas  necejfarias  para  el 
buen  ufo  de  la  guerra.  — •  Mejico,  Pedro  Ocharte, 
ano  1583.  In  410. 

Injiruccion  nautica  para  el  buen  ufo  y  regimiento 
de  las  Naos,  su  traza  y  gobiernoy  conforme  a  la  altura 
de  Mejico.  —  Mejico ,  ano  1587.  In  410. 

The  Latter  was  dedicated  to  Don  Alvaro  Man- 
rique  de  Zuniga,  Marques  de  Villamanrique,  Vice 
roy  and  Captain  General  of  New  Spain.  It  is 
divided  into  four  Books,  treating  of  the  Sphere,  the 
Ufe  of  the  Aftrolabe,  the  Gregorian  Reform  of 
1582,  the  Golden  Numbers,  and  other  Points  of  the 
Calendar,  with  Directions  for  general  Navigation, 
a  Dictionary  of  Maritime  Phrafes,  etc.,  etc. 

In  September  1587,  Palacio  was  made  Captain 
General  of  the  Armada  which  was  fent  out,  in 
that  Year,  from  Acapulco  againft  the  Englifh  Cor- 


[   16  ] 

fairs  who  then  infefted  the  South  Sea.  His  Com- 
miflion,  which  is  ftill  preferved  at  Seville,  among 
the  Papers  brought  from  Simancas,  gives  him  great 
Latitude  of  Action  "  as  one  well  verfed  and  praftifed 
in  all  Things  connected  with  the  Sea."  The  Refult 
of  his  Expedition  is  not  known,  and  with  this 
Appointment,  Palacio  feems  to  have  difappeared 
from  Hiflory. 


C    A    R    T   A 

DIRIJIDA    AL 

RET    D  E    E  S  P  A  N  A  , 


FOR    EL 


Licenciado  DR.  DON 

DIEGO  GARCIA  DE  PAL  A  CIO, 

Oydor  de  la  Real  Audiencia  de  Guatemala ; 
A no     1576. 


R.  M.— For 

Vueftras  ce- 
dulas  y  pro- 
vifiones  efta 
mandado  i  horde- 
nado  a  los  Virreyes, 
Prefidentes  i  Go- 
bernadores  deftas 
partes,  hagan  larga  i  ver- 
dadera  relacion  de  la  po- 
ficion  de  tierras,  Indies, 
lenguas,  coftumbres,  rios, 

3 


R.  C.  Majejly, 
by  divers  decrees,  has 
ordered  that  your  Vice 
roys,  Prefidents,  and  Go 
vernors  in  thefe  parts  mail 
give  to  you  an  exact  and 
detailed  defcription  of  the 
geography  of  their  va 
rious  diftri&s,  and  of 
the  mountains  and  rivers 
found  in  them,  and  of 
the  languages  and  cus- 


montes  i  variadades  i  cofas  de  fus  diftriftos,  de  que 
deba  darfe  quenta  a  V.  M.,  i  ponerfe  por  memoria; 
all  fe  debe  creher  lo  habrian  fecho,  y  como  cofa 
cumplida  no  tratare  dello.  Por  otras  anfi  mifmo 
manda  V.  M.  que  un  Oydor  por  fu  turno  ande  vi- 
litando  las  provincias  de  fu  partido,  para  la  buena 
confervacion  e  pulicia  deftos  naturales  i  defagraviar- 
los  de  las  injufticias  i  vexaciones  que  padefcen  i 
a  componer  i  hacer  jufticia  en  las  demas  cofas  que 
entre  ellos  fe  ofrecen.  En  cuyo  cumplimiento  efta 
V.  R.  Audiencia  de  Guatemala  me  nombro  para  la 
dicha  vifita,  i  fenalo  algunas  provincias  de  fu  dif- 
trifto  donde  vi  i  averigue  algunas  cofas,  que  de 
raras  i  de  confideracion  me  an  forzado  a  dar  quenta 
a  V.  M.,  aunque  con  rudo  eflilo. 

Conocida  cofa  es  que  del  ambito  del  mundo, 
que  fegun  la  comun  opinion  es  5625  leguas,  pofehe 
i  gobierna  V.  M.  la  mayor  parte  como  confta  por 
fu  poficion,  porque,  lin  efos  Vueftros  Reynos  de 
Efpana,  Italia,  Flandes,  ay  a  las  Iflas  del  Poniente, 
do  Vueftros  Ejercitos  van  ampliando  V.  R.  Corona, 
3405  leguas,  regulados  los  paralelos  i  fecha  la  com- 
putackm  a  las  comunes  efpanolas,  en  que  fe  incluye 
efte  diftricto,  que  comienza  de  los  poftreros  termi- 
nos  de  Teguantepeque,  i  acaba  en  los  de  Cofta-rica, 
corre  S.  E.  y  N.  O.  300  i  mas  leguas.  Efta  divi- 
dida  en  i  3  provincias  principales,  fin  otras  mas  me- 
nudas  que  en  ellas  fe  incluyen  ;  fon  Chiapa,  Soco- 
nufco,  Suchitepeques,  Cuauhthemalan,  Vera-paz, 
Izalcos,  San  Salvador,  San  Miguel,  Honduras, 


t  '9  ] 

toms  of  the  Indians — an  fhort,  an  account  of  all 
the  things  deferving  to  be  mentioned.  As  I  fup- 
pofe  that  thefe  orders  have  been  executed,  I  fhall 
not  treat  of  all  thefe  matters.  But  Your  Majefty 
has  alfo  ordered,  that  each  member  of  the  Au- 
diencia,  in  his  turn,  mail  make  a  journey  through 
out  its  jurifdiclion,  to  fee  to  the  confervation  and 
regulation  of  the  natives,  to  defend  them  againft 
vexations  and  injuftice,  and  to  arrange  and  fettle 
equitably  all  difficulties  which  may  arife  among 
them.  In  compliance  with  thefe  orders,  Your 
Royal  Audiencia  of  Guatemala  having  chofen  me 
to  undertake  this  duty,  and  having  defignated  cer 
tain  provinces  within  which  to  make  my  inquiries, 
I  now  proceed,  although  in  a  rude  way,  to  give  to 
Your  Majefty  an  account  of  the  rare  and  curious 
things  which  fell  under  my  notice. 

It  is  a  well  known  thing,  that  of  the  whole  cir 
cumference  of  the  earth,  which  according  to  received 
opinion  is  5625  leagues,  Your  Majefty  poiTefles 
and  governs  the  greater  part ;  for  from  your  king 
doms  of  Spain,  Italy,  and  Flanders  to  the  Iflands  of 
the  Weft,  where  your  armies  are  engaged  in  ex 
tending  your  dominion,  there  are  3405  Spanifh 
leagues,  including  this  diftricl,  which  commences 
at  the  lower  extremity  of  Tehuan tepee,  and  reaches, 
on  the  S.  E.,  to  Cofta  Rica,  and  has  a  total  length 
of  upwards  of  300  leagues.  It  is  divided  into  1 3 
principal  provinces,  not  enumerating  a  number  of 
others  lefs  confiderable,  which  are  included  in 


Choluteca,  Nicaragua,  Taguz-galpa,  Cofta-rica;  i 
en  cada  una  dellas  ay  i  hablan  los  naturales  dife- 
rentes  lenguas,  que  pareze  fue  el  artificio  mas 
manofo  que  el  demonic  tuvo  en  todas  eftas  partes 
para  plantar  difcordia,  confundiendolos  con  tantas 
i  tan  diferentes  lenguas  como  tienen,  que  fon : 

En  la  de  Chiapa,  Chiapaneca,  Tloque,  Mexicana, 
Zozil,  Zeldal-quelen. 

En  la  de  Soconufco,  la  Mejicana  corrupta,  i  la 
materna,  e  Vebetlateca. 

En  la  de  los  Suchitepeques  i  Cuahutemala,  Ma- 
mey,  Achi,  Cuahtemalteca,  Chienanteca,  Hutateca, 
Chirichota. 

Los  Izalcos  i  Cofta  de  Guazacapan,  la  Popoluca, 
i  Pipil. 

La  Yerapaz,  Poconchi,  Caechicolchi. 

La  de  Sn.  Salvador,  Pipil  i  Chontal. 

El  valle  de  Acacevaftlan  i  el  de  Chiquimula  de 
la  Sierra,  Tlacacebaftleca  y  Apay. 

En  la  de  San  Miguel,  Poton,  i  Taulepa  Ulua. 

La  Choluteca,  Mangue,  Chontal. 

En  Honduras,  Ulba,  Chontal,  y  Pipil. 

Nicaragua,  Pipil  corrupto,  Mangue,  Maribio, 
Ponton,  i  Chontal. 

En  la  de  Taguz-galpa,  la  materna  i  Mexicana. 

En  la  de  Cofta-rica  y  Nicoya,  la  materna  i 
Mangue. 

De  las  quales  comenze  a  vifitar  de  la  de  Guaza 
capan  hafta  el  rio  de  Lempa,  que  corre  50  leguas 
al  Efte  por  la  Cofta  del  Sur,  i  a  lo  hancho  hafta 


[    21     ] 

them,  viz :  Chiapa,  Soconufco,  Suchitepeques, 
Cuauhthemalan,^)  Vera  Paz,  Izalcos,  San  Salvador, 
San  Miguel,  Honduras,  Choluteca,  Nicaragua, 
Taguz-galpa,  and  Cofta  Rica. 

The  inhabitants,  of  each  of  thefe  provinces, 
fpeak  different  languages,  which  without  doubt 
originated  in  an  adroit  device  of  the  devil,  in  order 
the  more  eafily  to  fow  the  feeds  of  difcord  among 
them.  (2)  Thefe  languages  are  : 

In  the  province  of  Chiapa,  the  Chiapaneca, 
Tloque,  Mexicana,  Zozil,  Zeldal-quelen. 

In  the  province  of  Soconufco,  .a  corrupt  Mexi 
can,  the  Ubetlateca,  and  the  mother  language  of 
the  country. 

In  Suchitipeques  and  Cuahutemala,  the  Mamey, 
Achi,  Cuahtemalteca,  Chienanteca,  Hutateca,  and 
Chirichota. 

Among  the  Izalcos,  and  on  the  coaft  of  Guaza- 
capan,  the  Popoluca  and  Pipil.  (3) 

In  Vera  Paz,  the  Poconchi,  Caechicolchi. 

In  San  Salvador,  the  Pipil  and  Chontal. 

In  the  Valley  of  Acacevaftlan,  and  in  that  of 
Chiquimula  de  la  Sierra,  the  Tlacacebaftleca  and 
Apay. 

In  San  Miguel,  the  Poton,  Taulepa,  and  Ulua. 

In  Choluteca,  the  Mangue  and  Chontal. 

In  Honduras,  the  Ulba,  Chontal,  and  Pipil. 

In  Nicaragua,  a  corrupt  Pipil,  the  Mangue, 
Ponton,  Marabio,  and  Chontal. 

In  the  province  of  Taguz-galpa  the  mother  lan 
guage,  and  the  Mexican. 


[    22    ] 

Chiquimula  de  la  Sierra,  que  corre  30  leguas 
Norte-Sur,  en  que  vifite  156  lugares  de  Efpanoles 
e  Indies  i  entre  ellos  cuentanfe  i  reparti  78,  de  lo 
que  los  naturales  deben  pagar  de  tribute,  en  cada 
un  ano,  a  fus  encomenderos. 

La  dicha  Cofta  comienza  defde  el  Rio  de  Mi- 
chiatoya  i  fe  fenece  i  acaba  en  el  de  Aguachapa. 
Es  abundante  de  montes,  aguas,  cazas,  i  pefca  de 
todas  fuertes ;  tiene  mucho  frutales  de  la  tierra  i 
de  Caftilla,  boniiimas  naranjas,  i  algunos  higos,  i 
melones.  Es  tierra  de  cacao,  y  de  buenas  tierras 
para  mayz,  y  las  demas  legumbres  i  femillas  que 
los  Indies  hufan ;  tiene  comodidad  toda  ella  para 
hacer  fal,  aunque  la  hacen  con  mucho  trabajo  i 
riefgo  de  fu  falud.  Sacan  la  falmuera,  que  para 
hacella  an  menefter  de  la  tierra  que  la  mar  bana 
en  fus  crecientes,  i  cuezenla  en  hornos  femejantes  a 
los  que  los  campaneros  hufan ;  gafta  mucha  lena  i 
ollas  para  cocerla  por  manera,  que  aunque  fe 
podria  hacer  mucha,  es  coftofa,  enferma,  i  trabajofa 
de  hacer.  Tiene  muchos  efteros  de  que  fe  aprove- 
chan  de  grandes  pefquerias  de  todo  genero  de  pef- 
cados  -i  tortugas,  aunque  tienen  i  eftan  llenos  de 
caymanes,  que  propiamente  fon  los  cocodrillos, 
porque  tienen  las  eleciones  que  dellos  qiientan  los 
naturales ;  i  efpanta  pefcar  en  ellos,  porque  alliende 
de  la  fiereza  que  mueftran  i  grandeza  que  tienen, 
eftan  algunos  muy  encarnizados  i  cebados ;  i  acon- 
tecido  que  pafando  un  gran  toro  por  un  rio  le  afio 
uno  de  la  cola,  i  hera  tan  grande  que  aunque  falido 


In  that  of  Cofta  Rica  and  Nicoya,  the  indigenous 
language  and  the  Mangue. 

Of  thefe  provinces,  I  traverfed  firft  that  of  Gua- 
zacapan,  going  as  far  as  the  river  Lempa,  which  is 
50  leagues  to  the  Eaftward,  following  the  South 
Coaft ;  and  thence  I  went  inland  as  far  as  Chiqui- 
mula  de  la  Sierra,  a  diftance  of  30  leagues  from 
North  to  South;  in  which  diftrid:  I  vifited  156 
villages  of  Spaniards  and  Indians,  of  which  I  enu 
merated  and  fet  off  78  wherein  the  Indians  mould 
pay  every  year  the  amount  of  tribute  aflefled  on 
them  to  their  encomenderos. 

The  faid  Coaft  of  Guazacapan  commences  at 
the  river  Michatoyat,  and  terminates  at  that  of 
Aguachapa.  (4)  It  is  abundantly  wooded  and 
watered,  and  contains  every  variety  of  fim  and 
game.  It  is  very  productive  in  fruits  of  the  country 
and  of  Spain,  and  produces  furthermore  excellent 
oranges,  figs,  melons,  and  cacao.  Maize  grows 
well,  as  alfo  all  the  grains  and  vegetables  ufed  by 
the  Indians.  There  is  every  facility  for  making  fait, 
although  the  Indians  do  not  know  how  to  manu 
facture  it,  except  with  great  labor  and  at  the  rifk 
of  their  health.  They  take  the  brine  made  by  the 
fun  from  the  water  left  by  the  higheft  tides,  which 
they  reduce  in  ovens  fimilar  to  thofe  which  bell- 
founders  ufe,  at  a  coft  of  large  quantities  of  wood 
and  earthen  pots.  They  might  make  more  if  they 
were  acquainted  with  a  better  mode  of  reduction 
than  this,  which  is  difficult,  coftly,  and  unhealthy. 


el  toro  a  la  horilla,  el  tiro  lo  que  pudo  para  defa- 
firfe  i  falir  a  tierra,  no  pudo  porque  el  cayman  hera 
tan  grande  i  feroz  que  lo  torno  al  agua  i  mato ! 
Otros  eftragos  i  danos  ban  fido  en  diverfas  partes 
deftas  provincias  que  admira,  aunque  con  toda  fu 
fiereza  ay  muchos  Indios  que  fe  hechan  al  agua  i 
chapuzados  debajo  le  atan  pies  i  manos  i  dan  cabo 
a  otros  Indios  que  quedan  en  tierra  i  anfi  los  facan 
fuera  del  agua  i  los  matan.  Llegando  yo  a  un  lugar, 
por  me  regalar  me  convidaron  para  que  lo  viefe, 
no  lo  quife  acceptar  por  el  riefgo  que  parece  ofrece 
la  braveza  de  un  animal  tan  efpantofo,  los  quales  i 
fin  que  yo  lo  fupiefe  fueron  i  ataron  uno  como 
dicho  es  i  me  lo  traxeron.  Ay  algunos  dellos  20, 
30  i  mas  pies,  muy  gruefos,  de  gruefos  pies  i  manos, 
la  cola  gruefa  i  recia,  hieren  con  ella  bravifima- 
mente.  Tienen  muchas  conchas  i  que  no  las  pafa 
un  arcabuz,  a  veces  la  boca  muy  grande  con  dientes 
fierifimas  repartidos  en  tres  andanas  ;  yo  conte  a  un 
34  dientes  en  cada  una,  fin  los  colmillos  con  que 
atrabiefa  el  ocico  fuperior  por  dos  agujeros  que  na- 
turaleza  le  hizo.  Tiene  toda  efta  cofla  muchas 
praderias  que  aca  Hainan  zabanas,  grandes  i  de 
mucho  pafto,  i  en  ellas  algunas  eftancias  de  vacas, 
aunque  no  las  que  podria  haber  fegun  fu  grandeza 
i  grofedad. 

Es  tierra  enferma  por  la  mucha  calor  i  humedad 
que  en  ella  ay,  de  que  fe  fuelen  caufar  grandes  ca- 
lenturas  i  otros  males  peftilenciales,  mofquitos  de 
quatro  generos  que  de  dia  defafofiegan  i  enfadan, 


[    25    ] 

There  are  many  creeks  on  the  coaft,  in  which  they 
have  large  eftabli foments  for  catching  all  kinds  of 
fimes  and  turtles,  notwithstanding  that  they  are  full 
of  alligators,  or  rather  crocodiles,  very  ferocious, 
and  greatly  feared  by  the  people.  They  relate 
that  a  large  bull,  in  pafTing  a  river,  was  attacked 
by  a  cayman,  which  feized  him  by  the  tail  with 
fuch  force,  that  notwithstanding  he  reached  the 
more  and  did  his  utmoft  to  make  off  his  enemy, 
he  was  drawn  back  into  the  water  and  killed.  The 
caymans  have  committed  many  ravages  in  other 
parts  of  this  province ;  yet  it  is  wonderful,  not- 
withftanding  their  ferocity,  that  there  are  actually 
many  Indians  who  dive  beneath  them,  in  the 
water,  and  attach  cords  to  their  legs,  in  fuch  man 
ner  that  they  are  dragged  to  the  more  and  flain. 
On  my  arrival  at  one  of  the  villages,  the  inhabit 
ants  propofed  to  entertain  me  with  a  feat  of  this 
kind,  but  I  would  not  confent  to  their  incurring 
the  rifk  of  encountering  fo  fearful  an  animal. 
They  neverthelefs  went  off  without  my  knowledge, 
and  brought  me  one  thus  fecured.  Some  of  the 
caymans  are  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  and  up 
wards  in  length,  with  large  bodies  and  big  feet, 
and  covered  with  fcales  through  which  a  mufket 
ball  cannot  pierce.  Their  tails  are  very  powerful 
and  dangerous ;  and  their  mouths  are  large,  with 
three  rows  of  formidable  teeth.  I  counted  thirty- 
four  teeth  in  each  range,  befides  the  eye-teeth, 
which  fit  into  holes  in  the  upper  jaw. 


[  26  J 

i  de  noche  no  dejan  dormir  muchas  mofcas,  i 
abifpas  de  diverfos  generos  malas  i  venenofas  que 
en  picando  hazen  roncha,  i  fi  las  rafcan  llagan.  Yo 
vi  que  un  mozo  cayo  de  una  picadura  atordido  i 
amortecido  por  mas  efpacio  de  dos  horas.  Ay 
alacranes  i  unos  gufanos  peludos  que  con  cualqui- 
era  cofa  que  de  fu  cuerpo  toquen  emponzonan  i  a 
veces  matan  ;  i  otros  que  llaman  cientopies  tan  ma- 
los  i  tan  venenofos  como  los  dichos ;  grandes  cule- 
bras  i  vivoras  maliffimas,  i  otras  fabandijas  peftilen- 
ciales  i  muy  danofas,  de  diferentes  efpecies,  que 
efpantan  con  los  malos  efedlos  que  ellas  i  con  ellas 
hacen.  Ay  unas  que  crian  un  cornecuelo  en  la 
cabeza,  de  que  los  malos  hufan  para  fus  fucias  luju- 
rias,  de  efedto  eftrano  ;  i  para  lo  mefmo  ay  unos 
efcarabajos  muy  grandes  los  cuernos  de  los  quales 
aun  fon  peores  i  de  mas  mala  operacion.  Yo  hable 
a  un  facerdote  a  quien  unos  fus  tofcos  amigos  le 
hicieron  las  raeduras  de  una  burla  tan  pefada  que 
ni  banarfe,  ni  ungiiento  rofado,  ni  fangrarfe  le 
aprovecho  por  mas  de  24  horas.  Ay  en  efta  pro- 
vincia  abejas  blancas,  aunque  pocas.  Hacen  la 
miel  I  cera  muy  blanca,  no  pican  tan  mal  como  los 
otras  hordinarias. 

Ay  en  toda'  efta  tierra  un  arbol  comun  que 
nofotros  llamamos  cirue/os  i  los  Indies  cotes,  que  per- 
diendo  las  hojas,  fin  ella  crian  i  produzen  i  dan  fu 
fruclo,  i  defpues  de  dada,  hechan  hoja  i  feparan 
muy  frefcos  i  lozanos  como  lozaneandofe  del-frudlo 
i  beneficio  que  an  dado. 


1. 27  ] 

On  this  coaft  are  many  plains,  called  in  the 
country  Savanna/is,  with  abundant  pafturage.  In 
thefe  there  are  fome  cattle  farms,  but  not  as  many 
as  from  the  great  fize  of  thefe  Savanna/is  might 
be  expected. 

The  country  is  unhealthy,  in  confequence  of  its 
heat  and  humidity,  which  caufe  fevers  and  other 
peftilent  maladies,  and  produces  mofquitos  of  four 
kinds,  which  torment  one  all  the  day  and  prevent 
him  from  fleeping  at  night.  There  are  alfo  many 
venomous  flies,  and  bees  the  fling  of  which  makes 
blifters,  that  become  fores  on  rubbing.  I  faw  a 
boy  who  fainted  and  remained  infenfible  for  up 
wards  of  two  hours,  in  confequence  of  having  been 
ftung  by  one  of  thefe  infects.  There  are  alfo  fcor- 
pions,  and  a  kind  of  hairy  worm  which  poifons  all 
things  it  touches,  and  fometimes  caufes  death  ;  and 
alfo  centipedes,  as  bad  and  venemous  as  the  creatures 
already  named;  large  ferpents,  and  dangerous 
vipers — in  fhort,  all  kinds  of  unclean  and  deadly 
infects,  enough  to  make  one  tremble  who  reflects 
on  the  evils  which  they  occafion  or  which  may 
be  occalioned  by  them. 

Some  of  thefe  have  a  little  horn  on  their  heads, 
which  evil-minded  perfons  ufe  in  their  filthy  de 
baucheries,  and  which  has  an  extraordinary  effect. 
There  is  alfo  a  fpecies  of  very  large  fcarabceus  of 
which  the  horns  have  a  greater  and  ftlll  worfe 
effect.  I  knew  a  prieft,  whom  fome  of  his  rude 
friends  induced  to  fwallow  fome  of  the  fcrapings 


1 28 1 

El  dicho  rio  de  Michiatoya,  donde  efta  provincia 
comienza,  nace  i  es  un  defaguadero  de  la  laguna  de 
Amatitan,  quatro  leguas  de  Guatemala,  i  para  caer 
a  la  dicha  provincia,  hace  un  falto  tan  grande  que 
un  arcabuz  parece  no  podria  llegar  debajo  arriba,  i 
una  concavidad  entre  el  agua  i  pena  donde  cae  muy 
grande,  de  manera  que  le  crian  en  el  gran  fuma  de 
papagayos  de  diferentes  suertes,  i  tantos  murcielagos 
que  es  maravilla,  que  fon  tan  malos  que  fe  dan  e 
topan  una  ternera  la  matan  i  defangran ;  cuelganfe 
en  la  dicha  cueva  unos  de  otros,  i  hazen  razimos  i 
colgajos  mayores  que  un  fombrero,  i  en  algunas 
partes  fe  an  defpoblado  eftancias  de  ganado  por  el 
mucho  dano  que  hacian  en  las  dichas  terneras. 

En  un  lugar  de  aquella  provincia,  que  fe  llama 
Nefticpac,  ay  unos  lagos  que  parecen  falen  de  mi- 
neros  de  azufre  de  mala  agua  i  hedionda ;  falen  a 
fus  trillas  pedazos  del  dicho  azufre  quajados  i  con- 
jelados  de  la  grofedad  del  agua,  tan  limpio  i  purifi- 
cado  como  la  mejor  que  viene  de  Alemana ;  i  el 
pafto  que  riega  las  vertientes  defta  agua  es  tan 
bueno  para  los  caballos  i  engordan  tanto  que  de 
muy  perdidos  i  flacos  en  pocas  dias  vuelvan  en  fi  i 
feparan  muy  hermofos  i  gordos. 

Los  Indies  defta  provincia  fon  humildes  i  de 
buena  condicion ;  corre  entre  ellos  la  lengua  Mex- 
icana,  aunque  la  propia  es  Popoluca ;  en  fu  genti- 
lidad  hufaban  de  los  ritos  i  idolatrias,  fuenos  i 
fuprecticiones  que  los  Pipiles  i  Chontales  fus  veci - 
nos,  de  que  tratare  adelante ;  en  los  mas  lugares 


[  29  ] 

from  thefe  horns ;  and  for  more  than  twenty-four 
hours,  neither  baths,  unguents,  nor  bleedings  could 
flop  the  confequences  of  the  pleafantry  ! 

White  bees  are  found  in  this  province,  but  in 
fmall  numbers.  Their  honey  and  wax  have  an 
extraordinary  whitenefs,  and  their  fling  is  not  as 
fevere  as  that  of  the  ordinary  varieties. 

Throughout  the  country  there  is  a  very  common 
tree  producing  a  fruit  which  we  call  plums,  and 
the  Indians  cotes  [jocotes].  It  fheds  its  leaves  when 
the  fruit  appears ;  but  when  the  latter  matures  and 
is  gathered,  it  throws  them  out  again,  frefhly  and 
luxuriantly,  as  if  rejoicing  over  the  harveft  and 
benefits  which  it  has  given. 

The  river  Michatoyat,  where  this  province  com 
mences,  rifes  in  the  lake  of  Amatitan,  four  leagues 
from  Guatemala.  In  reaching  this  province  it 
precipitates  itfelf  over  a  fall  fo  high  that  its  top 
cannot  be  reached  by  a  mufket  ball.  (5)  There  is 
a  kind  of  cavern  between  the  meet  of  water  and 
the  rock,  within  which  are  found  parrots  of  various 
kinds,  and  a  marvellous  number  of  bats,  which 
attach  themfelves  one  to  the  other,  forming  clutters 
as  big  as  a  hat.  They  are  very  mifchievous,  and 
if  they  find  a  calf  in  the  fields  will  kill  it,  by 
fucking  its  blood.  On  fome  farms  in  the  neigh 
borhood,  it  is  impoflible  to  raife  cattle,  becaufe  the 
bats  deflroy  all  the  calves. 

In  a  place  in  that  province  which  is  called  Nef- 
ticpac,  there  are  fome  fmall  lakes  which  appear  to 


[  3°  ] 

fe  conozen  fus  fenores  naturales,  heran  poco 
poderofos,  valia  i  mahdaba  entre  ellos  mas  el  que 
mas  podia  mas,  i  tenia  mas  hombres  de  guerra. 

Efta  repartida  en  feys  partidos  de  clerigos  ;  fon 
medianamente  inftruydos  en  la  dotrina  Criftiana;  en 
la  pulicia  van  tambien  aprovechando  aunque  como 
jente  nueva  en  nueftra  coftumbres  fi  fe  defcuydan 
dellos  falen  a  la  pega  de  fu  gentilidad.  Alii  fe  me 
querello  un  Indio  que  un  fu  alcalde  fin  fu  pedi- 
mento  habia  procedido  contra  fu  mujer  i  caftiga- 
dola  por  ocho  adulterios,  i  forzadole  a  el  que  pa- 
gafe  la  condenacion  que  por  ellos  le  habia  fecho, 
por  manera  que  allende  de  fu  afrenta  le  llevaban  fu 
dinero  ;  el  cafo  es  que  en  tiempo  de  fu  infidelidad, 
hera  coftumbre  que  quando  alguna  muger  eftaba 
de  parto,  la  cornadre  liazia  confefafe  i  dixefe  todos 
los  pecados,  para  que  haviendolos  confefado  pariefe 
mejor,  i  quando  habiendolo  fecho  la  tal  muger  no 
paria,  llamaban  a  fu  marido,  i  hacian  le  el  confefafe 
las  fuyos ;  i  fe  efto  no  aprovechaba  quitavanle  al 
tal  marido  el  maxtli  i  panetes  que  traya  calzados  e 
poniales  en  las  renes  de  la  prenada,  i  ii  efto  no  ha- 
provechaba  para  que  pariefe,  la  propria  comadre 
facaba  fu  fangre  i  facrificabala  afperjando  con  ella 
los  quatro  vientos,  haciendo  algunas  invocaciones 
i  ceremonias.  Sucedio  que  eftando  la  muger  del 
querellante  de  parto  fe  confefo,  oyendela  un  algua- 
zilejo  que  eftaba  efcondido,  dixo  que  habia  cometido 
adulterio  con  los  ocho  referidos ;  i  defpues  de  fana 
el  dicho  alguazil  la  acufo  ante  el  alcalde  dellos 


[  3'   ] 

flow  from  mines  of  fulphur.  Their  water  is 
bad  and  foetid.  At  their  edges  are  found  cryf- 
talized  malTes  of  fulphur,  purer  than  the  beft  which 
comes  from  Germany.  The  paftures  irrigated  by 
the  water  are  fo  excellent  for  horfes  that  the 
thinneft  and  mofl  reduced  rapidly  recover  their 
powers,  and  come  out  in  a  few  days  ileek  and 
fat. 

The  Indians  of  this  province  are  fubmiffive  and 
of  a  good  nature.  The  Mexican  language  is  cur 
rent  among  them,  although  their  proper  tongue  is 
the  Popoluca.  Before  their  converfion,  they  had 
the  fame  rites  and  idolatry  with  the  Pipiles  and 
Chontales  their  neighbors,  of  whom  we  mail  fpeak 
further  on,  and  like  them  believed  in  dreams  and 
other  fuperftitions.  In  moft  parts  they  recognize 
their  native  chiefs,  who  however  were  not  very 
powerful ;  thofe  who  were  ftrongeft  or  had  moft 
warriors  give  law  to  the  others-  (6) 

They  are  now  diftributed  among  fix  orders  of 
priefts,  and  moderately  inftrucl:ed  in  the  Chriftian 
faith.  They  begin  to  be  civilized,  but  as  they  are 
new  to  our  cuftoms,  if  they  are  neglecled,  they  will 
foon  fall  back  into  their  idolatry.  While  there  one 
of  the  Indians  complained  to  me  that  the  Alcalde 
had  profecuted  his  wife  for  adultery,  without  his 
having  complained  of  her,  and  that  he  had  been 
obliged  to  pay  the  fine ;  in  confequence  of  which, 
and  to  avenge  his  injury,  he  had  ftolen  the  money 
of  the  Alcalde.  This  affair  happened  as  follows  : 


[    32    ] 

dichos  delitos,  i  por  ellos  la  prendio  caftigo  e  peno. 
Eftan  aun  fiempre  eftos  naturales  en  algunos  hier- 
ros  i  ceremonias  antiguas,  placera  a  Dios  que,  con 
la  diligencia  que  fe  pone,  poco  a  poco  vayan  olvi- 
danofe  de  fu  perdicion  antigua,  i  tomando  el  camino 
verdadero  para  falvarfe. 

No  tiene  efta  provincia  puerto,  fino  uno  que 
llaman  de  Eztapa,  donde  antiguamente  el  Adelan- 
tado  Pedro  de  Alvarado  hizo  ciertos  navios  peque- 
nos.  An  querido  algunos  decir  que  fera  comodo  para 
que,  fi  V.  M.  fuere  ferbido  fepafe  por  eftas  provin- 
cias  la  contratacion  del  Peru,  fe  correfponda  en  el ; 
es  impofible  por  muchas  razones  ;  fu  entrada  es  playa 
de  mucho  tumbo,  defabrigada  i  de  mala  facion  para 
puerto;  hace  la  mar  una  barra  en  la  tierra  arto 
grande  i  onda,  mas  en  la  entrada  i  boca  muy  baja, 
porque  quando  es  mar  muerto  aun  no  ay  un  eftado 
de  agua,  i  por  la  bracuz  ay  refaca  i  tumbo  dicho  la 
dicha  boca  fe  muda  cada  ano  adonde  la  fuerza  de 
los  tiempos  hiere  mas  recio.  Dicen  algunos,  que 
para  que  la  barra  no  fe  mude  fe  podria  hacer  un 
muelle,  que  la  fuerze  fiempre  a  eftar  en  un  lugar  i 
no  mudarfe ;  parece  razon  de  poca  confideracion, 
para  que  allende  que  aunque  eftubiera  fiempre  en 
un  lugar  i  no  mudarfe,  es  baxa  i  de  poca  agua,  defa 
brigada  i  que  con  los  tiempos  tiene  mas  6  menos 
arena  por  falta  de  cimiento  que  no  tiene  por  fer 
harena  gruefa  i  lavada.  No  tiene  V.  M.  hacienda 
en  eftas  provincios  para  podello  hacer  en  20  anos. 
Dizen  tambien  que  en  la  dicha  barra  fe  podria 


[  33  1 

During  their  idolatry,  the  women,  at  the  time  of 
their  accouchment,  confefled  all  their  fins  to  the 
midwife ;  they  believed  that  this  facilitated  partu 
rition  ;  but  if  notwithftanding,  the  birth  was  diffi 
cult,  the  hufband  was  alfo  obliged  to  confefs  his 
fins ;  and  if  this  did  not  anfwer,  they  took  the 
breech-cloth  (maxt/i)  or  drawers  of  the  hufband 
and  placed  them  under  her  loins ;  and  if  this  did 
not  fucceed,  the  midwife,  as  a  laft  refource,  drew 
blood  from  her  own  perfon,  and  fprinkled  it  to  the 
four  points  of  the  compafs,  with  ceremonies  and 
invocations.  The  wife  of  the  Indian  in  queftion, 
at  the  time  of  her  accouchment,  confefTed  to  the 
midwife  that  me  had  eight  lovers,  whom  me 
named.  This  was  heard  by  a  concealed  alguazil, 
who  when  me  became  well,  denounced  her  to  the 
Alcalde,  who  in  turn  chaftifed  her.  (7) 

Thefe  Indians  preferve  many  of  the  errors  and 
ceremonies  of  their  ancient  idolatry,  but  it  is  to  be 
hoped  that  through  the  will  of  God,  and  by  the 
diligence  of  his  fervants,  they  may  be  diverted, 
little  by  little,  from  their  road  to  perdition,  and  led 
to  take  the  true  path  to  falvation. 

There  is  but  a  fingle  port  in  this  province  called 
Eftapa  [Iftapa],  where  in  former  times  the  Adelan- 
tado  Pedro  de  Alvarado  conftructed  fome  little 
veflels.  Certain  perfons  have  alledged  that  it  would 
be  advantageous  for  Your  Majefty  to  make  the 
route  to  Peru  pafs  through  thefe  provinces  ;  but  this 
is  entirely  impoffible,  fince  it  is  only  an  open  road- 


[  34] 

echar  un  rio  que  con  fu  corriente  haga  mayor 
barra  i  boca  i  mas  ondo,  i  mejor  puerto ;  tampoco 
es  bien  confiderado,  porque  allende  que  fera  muy 
coftofa  i  poco  firme  fegun  Jo  que  la  mar  y  remarfo 
haze  entra  en  la  tierra  adentro,  aunque  en  ella  fe 
hechafen  muchos  rios,  no  havia  ni  podria  hacer 
fuerza  que  contra  la  furia  hordinaria  de  la  mar  i 
grande  tumbo  que  fiempre  alii  tiene,  haga  barra  ni 
puerto  conveniente ;  i  quando  contra  ella  obiera 
tanta  agua  i  corriente  que  lo  pudiera  hacer  la  pro- 
pia  corriente,  impidiera  i  eftorbara  que  fuera  puerto 
como  quieren  en  decir  que  podria. 

LA  PROVINCIA  DE  LOS  IZALCOS. 

Que  la  cofa  mas  rica  i  gruefa  que  V.  M.  tiene 
en  eftas  partes,  comienza  del  rio  Aguachapa  i  acaba 
en  Guaymoco  i  Cofta  de  Tonala,  corre  por  la 
mefma  cofta  1 8  leguas.  Tiene  las  calidades  del 
fuelo  i  cielo  que  la  de  Guazacapan,  i  abundancia 
de  cacao,  pefca,  i  frutos,  i  demas  cofas  que  aca 
comunamente  ay  en  las  tierras  calientes,  i  en  eipe- 
cial  la  mas  abundante  de  cacao  que  fe  fabe.  El 
arbol.que  da  el  cacao  es  mediano,  tiene  fus  hojas 
como  caftanal,  aunque  mayores ;  produze  flor  i 
fruta  cafi  todas  las  lunas,  i  lo  mefmo  hacen  en  eftas 
partes  todas  los  naranjos.  Echa  fu  flor  el  tronco 
i  ramas,  comenzando  las  mas  veces  defde  el  fuelo,  i 
como  ellos  echan  la  flor  i  crian  fu  frucT:o,  de  que  fe 
van  criando  unas  mazorcas  mas  largas  i  mayores 
que  pinas ;  i  dentro  dellas  25  6  30  almendras,  que 


[  35  ] 

ftead,  incommodious  and  without  melter.  The 
fea  has  made  fo  bad  a  bar  at  its  mouth  that  it  is 
difficult  to  go  into  it  at  low  tide,  and  the  florms 
change  the  entrance  every  year.  There  are  thofe 
who  pretend,  that  to  prevent  this  bar  from  con- 
ftantly  changing  its  place,  it  is  only  neceflary  to 
conftrudl  a  mole  which  will  keep  it  fixed ;  but 
even  then  the  port  would  only  be  a  little  lefs  bad 
than  now — mallow,  without  melter,  and  filling  up 
conftantly,  as  it  appears  that  the  bottom  of  the  fea 
is  only  coarfe  fand  and  pebbles,  without  cohefion. 
Befides,  this  province  does  not  afford  the  means  of 
conftru&ing  a  work  of  the  kind  propofed,  in 
twenty  years.  They  pretend  alfo,  that  a  river  may 
be  turned  to  flow  into  the  port,  and  thus  deepen  it, 
and  cut  through  the  bar ;  but  they  do  not  confider 
the  coft  of  the  undertaking,  nor  the  difficulties  in- 
terpofed  by  the  furf  and  the  tides.  (8) 

PROVINCE  OF  IZALCOS. 

This  is  the  largeft  and  richeft  province  which 
Your  Majefty  poflefles  in  thefe  parts ;  it  commen 
ces  at  the  river  Aguachapa  and  ends  at  Guaymoco, 
on  the  coaft  of  Tonola,  extending  a  diftance  of 
eighteen  leagues  along  the  fea.  It  has  the  fame 
qualities  of  foil  and  fky  with  that  of  Guazacapan  ; 
is  abundant  in  cacao,  fruits,  fifh,  and  the  other 
things  which  are  generally  found  in  hot  countries ; 
but  in  efpecial,  it  is  more  abundant  in  cacao  than 
any  country  known.  The  tree  which  produces 


[   36  ] 

es  el  cacao,  de  las  quales  200  valen  comunamente 
entre  los  Indies  un  real ;  i  es  la  moneda  que,  para 
las  cofas  menudos,  corre  de  hordinario  entre  ellos  i 
nofotros.  Es  tan  tierno  arbol  que  con  qualquiera 
eftremo  fe  pierde  i  feca  ;  i  anfi  para  criarle  es  menef- 
ter  mucho  cuydado,  i  ponelle  otro  arbol  que  llaman 
madrCy  que  le  haga  fombra  i  hampare  del  fol  i  del 
ayre.  Antiguamente  hera  tan  eftimado  que  nadie 
bebia  del  dicho  cacao,  que  no  fuefe  Cafique,  gran 
Senor,  6  valiente  foldado.  Ufaban  en  el  fembrallo 
muchas  ceremonias ;  efcojiendo  de  cada  mazorca  e 
pina  los  mejores  granos  de  cacao  i  juntos  lo  que 
habrian  menefter,  los  zaumavan  i  ponian  al  fereno 
en  quatro  dias  del  pleni  lunio,  i  quando  los  habian 
de  fembrar  fe  juntaban  con  fus  mujeres  con  otras 
ceremonias  bien  fucias.  En  efecto  hera  la  cofa  mas 
preciada  que  aca  habia;  a  crecido  i  multiplicadofe 
tanto,  defpues  que  eftan  en  VueitraReal  Corona,  con 
la  libertad  que  tienen  devello  i  tratallo,  que  defta 
provincia  principalmente  i  de  fu  comarca  le  provee 
la  Nueva  Efpana,  de  que  ay  mucho  comercio  i 
contratacion  de  una  a  otra  parte.  La  calidad  defta 
frudta  es  cafi  fria,  en  tercero  grado ;  ufafe  en  las 
bebidas  generalmente  i  gaftafe  i  coxefe  tanto,  que 
pareze  que  lo  que  fale  a  Nueva  Efpana  i  dan  i 
gaftan  en  fus  cafas  i  labores,  debe  fer,  en  folos 
quartro  lugares  de  los  Izalcos,  mas  que  50  mill  car- 
gas,  que,  a  un  precio  comun,  valen  quinientos  mill 
pefos  de  oro  de  minas.  Yo  los  conto  i  reparti  el  tri 
bute.  Ocupan  todos  ellos,  con  fus  huertas  dos  leguas 


1   37  1 

the  cacao  is  of  medium  height ;  its  leaf  is  like  that 
of  the  cheftnut  but  larger ;  and,  like  the  orange 
trees  of  the  country,  it  gives  out  flowers  and  fruit 
with  almoft  every  moon.  The  flowers  ftart  in 
differently  from  the  ftem  and  branches,  all  the  way 
from  the  ground  up,  and  when  thefe  fall  the  fruit 
makes  its  appearance.  It  is  as  large  or  larger  than 
a  pineapple,  and  contains  from  twenty-five  to 
thirty  feeds  like  almonds,  which  are  the  cacao 
beans,  and  of  thefe  200  are  of  the  value,  among 
the  Indians  generally,  of  one  rial.  They  ferve  for 
fmall  money  or  change,  both  among  the  Indians 
and  the  Spaniards.  (9) 

The  cacao  tree  is  very  delicate,  and  suffers  alike 
from  too  much  heat  and  too  much  cold,  and  there 
fore  requires  a  great  deal  of  care.  They  plant  at 
its  fide,  in  order  to  give  it  fhade,  and  protect  it 
from  the  winds,  another  tree,  which  is  called  its 
Mother.  The  beverage  which  they  prepare  from 
the  cacao  was  formerly  fo  highly  efteemed  by  the 
Indians,  that  no  one  was  permitted  to  drink  of  it, 
unlefs  he  were  a  great  perfonage,  a  cazique,  or  a 
famous  warrior.  In  planting  it,  they  ufed  many 
"ceremonies.  They  felected  the  beft  grains,  and 
expofed  them  for  four  nights  to  the  full  moon,  and 
at  the  moment  of  planting  them,  the  men  had 
connection  with  their  wives,  and  went  through 
other  ceremonies  of  a  libidinous  character.  In 
fhort,  the  cacao  is  the  moft  precious  thing  pro 
duced  here,  and  its  cultivation  has  fo  much  in- 


[  38  ] 

en  quadro,  de  que  fe  infiere,  no  fe  faben  tales  leguas 
de  arboles  i  huertas  que  frudlifiquen,  i  den  tanto 
valor.  Quentan  eftos  naturales  el  cacao  por  contksy 
xiquipiles,  i  cargas ;  un  contle  es  400  almendras,  un 
xiquipil  20  contles*  que  fon  8000  almendras;  i  una 
carga,  3  xiquipiles,  con  24,000  almendras.  Por  eftos 
numeros  quentan  todas  las  cofas,  i  es  el  mayor  que 
entre  ellos  fe  halla.  Parecio  haber  en  la  quenta  de 
los  dichos  lugares  *  *  *  *  vecinos  i  que  todos 
tienen  *  *  *  *  pies  de  los  dichos  cacaos. 

En  los  terminos  i  cofta  deftos  Izalcos,  efta  el 
puerto  de  Acajutla,  donde  furgen  i  eftan  los  navios 
que  andan  al  tradto  del  dicho  cacao  e  mercaderias 
que  vienen  del  Peru  i  Nueva  Efpana. 

Tambien  ha  querido  decir  que  es  bueno  i  fufi- 
ciente  para  la  correfpondencia  a  Peru,  G  V.  M. 
fuefe  fervido  que  la  que  agora  ay  en  Tierra  Firme 
fe  pafafe  a  efta  provincia.  Efta  en  altura  de  1 3 
grades  i  36  minutos,  e  por  la  diferencia  del  Meri- 
diano  de  Sevilla  al  defta  tierra  i  declinacion  fe  le  da 
4  minutos,  con  que  feran  1 3  grados  i  40  minutos. 
Corre  lefte-huefte  i  efta  defabrigado  del  fur  i  fus  co- 
laterales.  Es  una  playa  de  mucha  refaca  i  tumbo, 
i  no  tiene  facion  ni  talle  de  puerto,  de  mala  i  en- 
ferma  poficion,  fuftentarfe  los  navios  que  alii  furjen 
con  todos  los  daiios  dichos,  porque  haze  la  mar  en 
una  recife  que  ay  en  la  dicha  playa  una  vuelta  i 
refaca  de  mar  tan  fuerte  que  hace  eftar  los  navios 
fufpenfos  fin  hazer  fuerza  en  los  cables  i  ancoras ;  i 
efte  folo  beneficio  tiene  para  tantos  danos  i  la  ne- 


[  39  ] 

creafed  fmce  the  country  came  under  Your  Royal 
Crown,  in  confequence  of  the  liberty  which  now 
exifts  for  traffic  in  it,  that  this  province  and  its 
neighborhood  furnifh  the  principal  fupply  for  all 
New  Spain,  with  which  there  is  much  commerce, 
and  where  it  is  generally  ufed,  to  fuch  an  extent 
indeed,  that  it  is  estimated,  that  from  but  four  vil 
lages  of  the  Izalcos,  there  are  exported  upwards  of 
50,000  loads,  valued,  at  ordinary  prices,  at  500,000 
dollars.  The  quality  of  this  fruit  is  cold,  in  about 
the  third  degree.  (I0) 

I  made  an  enumeration  of  thefe  Indians  and 
arTeffed  their  tribute.  They  occupy,  with  their 
gardens,  two  leagues  fquare,  and  I  known  of  no 
equal  extent  of  land  which  has  trees  and  gardens 
fo  flourishing,  or  which  yields  fo  great  value. 

Thefe  Indians  count  their  cacao  by  contles, 
xiquipiles,  and  car  gas  or  loads  ;  one  contle  is  400 
grains ;  the  xiquipil  is  20  contles  or  8000  grains  ; 
and  a  carga  is  three  xiquipiles  or  24,000  grains. 
In  this  way  they  count  all  things,  and  it  is  the  beffc 
mode  they  have.  It  appears,  in  the  enumeration  of 
thefe  villages,  that  there  are  *  *  *  *  inhabitants, 
each  of  whom  has  *  *  *  *  feet  of  ground  for  the 
cultivation  of  the  cacao. 

On  the  coaft  and  confines  of  thefe  Izalcos,  is 
the  port  of  Acajutla,  where  veflels  come  to  ex 
change  the  merchandife  and  products  of  Peru  and 
New  Spain  for  cacao.  There  are  fome  who  pre 
tend  that  this  would  be  a  good  and  adequate  port 


[  4°  ] 

cefidad  precifa  que  del  tienen  i  falto  de  otro  tal,  e 
toda  efta  comarca  i  la  comodidad  i  cercania  que  en 
el  allan  los  vecinos  i  mercaderes  de  la  villa  de  la 
Trinidad  que  efta  poblada  en  los  dichos  Izalcos. 

Eftan  lituados  en  la  falda  de  un  volcan  que  efta 
humeando,  que  fegun  todos  afirman  fe  ha  confu- 
mido  i  ha  bajado  de  50  anos  a  efta  parte  mas  de 
20  eftados  de  altura ;  i  algunos  anos  arrojado  i  efpe- 
dido  de  li  tanta  zeniza  que  a  cubierto  la  tierra 
rnuchas  leguas  al  rededor,  y  fecho  gran  dano  en  las 
huertas  del  cacao.  Vierte  la  parte  del  Sur,  como 
mas  baja,  muchas  aguas,  algunas  muy  buenas  i 
otras  maliflimas  i  hediondas.  Haze  un  rio  que  lla- 
man  de  la  Zeniza,  por  el  mucho  i  gran  hedor  que 
lleba.  Sale  anlimifmo  del,  otro  arroyo  de  tan  mala 
i  vifcofa  agua  que  en  poco  tiempo  cubre  i  haze 
piedra  qualquiera  cofa  que  en  el  cae.  Y  acontecio 
que  habiendofele  caydo  a  un  Indio  un  machete,  al 
cabo  de  dos  anos  fe  hallo  cubierto  de  mas  de  un 
palmo  de  piedra  por  todas  partes.  Y  fuera  deftos 
Izalcos,  en  un  lugar  que  fe  llama  Tecpa,  fale  del 
dicho  volcan  otro  arroyo  de  la  mefma  calidad. 
Dizen  que  en  la  provincia  de  Chiapa  ay  un  rio 
que  haze  lo  mefmo ;  i  facando  unos  Indies  piedra, 
para  hazer  cal,  i  quebrando  una  hallaron  dentro 
un  fufte  de  una  iilla  gineta,  fano  i  entero. 

De  los  dichos  Izalcos  fe  van  fubiendo  tres  leguas 
hafta  un  lugar  que  fe  llama  Apaneca,  tan  frefco  i 
aun  frio  que  es  el  eftremo  de  los  lugares  dichos  ; 
cojenfe  en  el  granadas,  membrillos,  manzanas,  i 


[  4'   ] 

for  the  communication  with  Peru,  if  Your  Majefty 
were  difpofed  to  change  the  tranfit  from  Tierra- 
firme  to  this  province.  It  is  in  13°  36'  of  Lati 
tude,  or  rather  in  1 3°  40',  adding  4'  for  the  differ 
ence  of  the  meridian  of  Seville.  This  roadftead 
opens  eaft  and  weft ;  it  is  unfheltered,  with  much 
furf,  and  has  neither  the  form  nor  appearance  of  a 
port ;  it  has  a  bad  and  unhealthy  petition  ;  and  the 
mips  that  vifit  it  are  fubjecfled  to  all  kinds  of  dan 
ger,  since  the  fea  breaks  on  a  reef  which  there  is 
here,  with  tuch  force,  and  makes  fuch  a  recoil, 
that  they  can  only  be  held  by  the  ftrongeft  anchors 
and  cables ;  hence  they  do  not  come  here,  except 
from  neceffity,  for  want  of  any  other  port,  and 
from  the  importance  of  the  trade  of  this  diftricl, 
and  of  the  city  of  La  Trinidad,  which  has  been 
founded  in  this  province.  (") 

This  city  is  fituated  at  the  foot  of  a  Volcano 
which  fmokes  continually,  and  which  I  am  allured 
has  confumed  itfelf  and  diminimed  in  height  more 
than  twenty  eft  ados  within  fifty  years.  It  has 
thrown  out  fuch  a  quantity  of  cinders,  at  different 
times,  as  to  cover  the  earth  for  many  leagues 
around,  doing  great  damage  to  the  plantations  of 
cacao.  Falling  from  its  fouthern  declivity,  as  well 
as  lower  down,  are  many  ftreams  of  water.  In 
fome  of  thefe  ftreams  the  water  is  excellent,  in 
others  bad  and  ftinking.  They  form  a  river  which 
is  called  la  Ceniza  (of  the  Ames),  which  emits  a 
great  ftench.  There  is  alfo  another  ftream  of  fuch 

6 


[42    ] 

duraznos,  trigo  i  las  demas  cofas  que  a  eftas  partes 
an  venido  defos  Vueftros  Reynos. 

En  el  mefmo  alto,  una  legua  del,  efta  otro  que  fe 
llama  Ataco,  del  mefmo  temple  ifertilidad,  i  muy 
abundante  de  toda  monteria  i  caza,  por  los  muchos 
i  buenos  montes  que  para  ella  tienen.  Tube  noti- 
cia  que  habia  en  el  venados  de  la  forma  que  son  los 
que  en  la  India  de  Portugal  crian  la  piedra  bezar, 
e  hife  matar  algunos  en  que  fe  hallaron  algu- 
nas  piedras,  que  probadas  en  enfermidades  pefti- 
lentes  hacen  el  mefmo  efecto  que  las  que  fe  traen 
de  la  dicha  India.  Ay  tambien,  un  genero  de 
ofos  pequenos ;  no  tienen  boca,  como  los  defos 
Reynos ;  tienen  en  el  cabo  del  ocico  un  agujero  pe- 
queno  i  redondo,  i  para  mantenerfe  proveyolos 
naturaleza  de  una  lengua  larga,  acanalada,  con  que 
chupan  i  facan  la  miel  do  quiera  que  la  allan.  I 
quando  efta  les  falta,  fe  van  a  los  hormiguerosk  donde 
tienden  fu  lengua  como  por  cano  y  agujero  de 
otra  cofa  enganandas  las  ormigas  que  entran  i  fe 
hartan  dellas. 

Ay  afimifmo,  muchas  dantas  de  color  bianco, 
pardo  i  vermejo,  i  otros  muchos  generos  de  ani- 
malejos  eftranos  i  danofos,  i  muchas  ierbas  i  arboles 
de  buenos  efectos  para  la  falud  humana,  almazigos, 
dragos,  e  arboles  de  anime  en  mucha  cantidad. 

Profiguiendo  en  la  vifita  defte  lugar,  i  pediendo 
razon  de  los  menores  i  huerfanos,  para  faber  del 
tracto  de  fus  perfonas  i  haciendas.  Me  traxeron 
una  nina  de  ano  i  medio,  huerfana  de  padre  i  ma- 


[  43  J 

bad  and  vifcous  water,  that  it  covers  with  ftone, 
or  converts  into  ftone,  whatever  article  may  fall 
.into  it.  They  relate  that  an  Indian,  who  loft  his 
machete  in  this  ftream,  found  it,  at  the  end  of  two 
years,  covered  with  a  coating  of  ftone  more  than 
a  palm  in  thicknefs. 

Beyond  the  diftrict  of  Izalco,  near  a  village 
called  Tecpa,  is  found  another  ftream  flowing  from 
this  volcano,  which  has  the  fame  qualities.  They 
fay  that  there  is  a  iimilar  one  in  the  Province  of 
Chiapa,  from  which  fome  Indians  took  a  ftone, 
within  which,  on  breaking  it,  they  found  the  tree 
of  a  faddle,  found  and  entire.  (I2) 

Leaving  Izalco,  and  afcending  three  leagues,  we 
reach  a  place  called  Apaneca,  which  is  frefh  and 
cool,  therein  differing  greatly  from  the  villages  al 
ready  defcribed.  Here  they  cultivate  pomegra 
nates,  quinces,  apples,  peaches,  wheat,  and,  in  one 
word,  all  the  products  of  Spain  which  have  been 
brought  to  thefe  countries. 

On  the  fame  elevated  grounds,  one  league  diftant, 
is  another  village  called  Ataco,  which  has  the  fame 
climate  and  products.  Here  are  large  and  fine 
forefts,  affording  good  hunting  and  an  abundance 
of  game.  I  underftand  that  the  fame  kind  of  deer 
is  found  here,  which,  in  the  Portuguefe  Eaft  In 
dies,  furnifhes  the  bezoar  ftone,  and  that  feveral 
have  been  killed,  in  which  ftones  were  found  pro 
ducing  the  fame  effect  on  peftilential  maladies. 
Here  is  alfo  found  a  fpecies  of  very  fmall  bears 


[  44] 

dre,  que  eftaba  en  poder  i  la  daba  leche  una  vieja 
de  mas  de  70  anos.  I  yo  admirado  que  muger  de 
tanta  edad  tubiefe  leche,  la  hize  traer  delante  de 
me,  e  vi  como  la  nina  la  mamada  averigue  allende 
que  hera  dicha  edad,  que  jamas  habia  parido  fino 
que  al  tiempo  que  tomo  la  dicha  nina  mobida  de 
piedad  i  con  animo  de  crialla,  i  porque  no  tenia 
quien  la  diefe  leche  fuficiente,  la  dio  el  pecho  i  le 
vino  leche.  Hizelo  tomar  por  teftimonio,  i  quife 
diefe  a  entender  a  los  Indies  como  por  la  caridad 
que  aquella  mujer  habia  tenido,  Dios  habio  fido 
fervido  hufar  aquella  maravilla  contra  la  orden  co- 
mun,  para  que  los  Indios  fe  moviefen  a  mifericordia 
que  lo  han  bien  menefter. 

Del  dicho  lugar  fuy  a  otro  de  Vueftra  Real  Corona 
que  fe  llama  Aguachapa,  de  mediano  temple,  de  la 
fertilidad  i  cazas  dichas.  Hacefe  en  el  la  mejor  i 
mas  gaJana  loza  al  modo  de  los  Indios,  que  ay  en 
eftas  provincias  Principalmente  la  hacen  i  es  ofi» 
cio  de  las  mugeres,  las  quales  labran  fin  rueda  ni 
inftrumento  alguno,  mas  que  preparado  el  barro 
con  las  manos  lo  adelgazan,  e  ygualan  de  manera 
que  -hacen  muy  bien  qualquier  valija  que  les  man- 
dan.  Ay  en  los  terminos  defte  lugar  dos  arroyos, 
i  en  el  uno  hacen  los  Indios  pozos  i  remanfos  de 
agua,  en  que  fe  cria  una  nata  i  efcrimento,  que  be- 
neficiado  fe  hace  Colorado  como  grana,  i  defta  ha 
cen  i  dan  color  a  unos  jarros  que  hacen  muy  curio- 
fos.  Creo  que  es  el  bol  armenico,  porque  tienen 
las  eleciones  del,  i  anfimefmo  lo  ha  dicho  un  me- 


[45  ] 

[ant-eaters],  which  inftead  of  a  mouth,  has  a 
fmall  round  orifice  at  the  extremity  of  the  muzzle. 
Nature,  to  enable  it  to  live,  has  given  to  this  ani 
mal  a  long  and  hollow  tongue,  by  means  of  which 
it  fucks  up  all  the  honey  it  can  find.  In  lack  of 
this,  it  thrufts  its  tongue  into  nefts  of  ants,  and 
when  the  latter,  miftaking  it  for  a  tube  or  opening 
of  fome  fort,  enter  into  it,  the  animal  withdraws 
its  tongue  and  fwallows  them. 

There  are  alfo  many  white,  fawn-colored,  and 
ruflet  tapirs,  and  other  ftrange  and  noxious  animals. 
Alfo  many  trees  and  plants  of  medicinal  qualities, 
fuch  as  maftic,  dragon's  blood,  and  copal. 

In  vifiting  this  place,  I  took  information  related 
to  minors  and  orphans,  to  know  if  they  were  pro 
tected  in  their  perfons  and  property.  They  brought 
me  a  little  girl,  a  year  and  a  half  old,  who  had  loft 
both  father  and  mother,  and  who  had  been  taken 
in  charge  and  fucked  by  an  old  woman,  feventy 
years  of  age.  Aftonimed  at  this  report,  and  that  a 
woman  of  fuch  age  mould  give  milk,  I  had  her 
called  before  me  and  witnefled  the  fuckling  of  the 
child,  with  my  own  eyes.  This  woman  had  never 
borne  a  child,  yet  taking  pity  on  the  infant,  who 
had  nobody  to  give  it  fuck,  me  prefented  her  own 
breafts,  and  the  milk  came.  I  had  the  teftimony 
in  the  cafe  taken  down,  and  fought  to  imprefs  the 
Indians  with  the  idea  that  this  was  a  miracle, 
wrought  by  God  himfelf,  in  recognition  of  the 
charity  of  the  old  woman. 


•     [  46  J 

dico,  bebido  aprobecha  al  flujo  de  fangre  y  ace  pro- 
bado  en  enfermedades  peftilentes,  y  ha  aprobechado 
mucho,  debefe  creer  que  li  lo  es  el  agua  do  efto  fe 
queja  pafa  por  algun  minero  del  dicho  bol  armeni- 
co.  En  el  otro  arroyo,  con  la  mefma  horden,  coxen 
otra  tierra  negra  con  que  dan  muy  buen  color 
negro,  aunque  labado  bacia.  Ay  en  el  termino  del 
dicho  lugar  unos  manantiales  que  yo  vi  de  agua 
caliente  i  tanto  que  quema,  i  tan  diferentes  en  el 
color  i  nacimientos  que  efpantan.  Llamanlo  los 
Indies  el  Inferno,  i  no  fin  alguna  femejanza.  Brota 
i  fale  el  agua  en  efpacio  de  un  tiro  de  ballefta,  por 
muchas  partes  i  con  diverfos  eftruendos,  fegun  los 
horganos  por  do  falen  ;  unos  azen  ruydo  como  fuele 
un  batan,  otros  como  molino,  otros  como  fuelles, 
otros  como  quien  ronca,  i  de  otras  mil  formas. 
En  algunas  partes  fale  el  agua  turbia,  en  otras  clara, 
en  otras  colorada,  en  otras  amarilla  i  de  otros  co- 
lores,  fegun  los  mineros  de  tierra  por  do  pafen,  i 
del  humo  de  alii  fale.  Se  haze  un  betun  de  dife 
rentes  colores  que  parece  podria  fervir  para  pintar. 
Los  Indies  fuelen  llevar  fus  hollas  de  cotes  i  de 
carne  y  cozellas  en  algun  refpiradero  de  aquella 
agua.  Habra  tres  anos  que  pafando  un  muchacho 
en  el  dicho  lugar  fe  le  fumio  i  undio  una  pierna  en 
un  pantano  defta  agua,  i  aunque  lo  focorrieron 
luego,  dejo  la  carne  de  todala  pierna,  i  faco  el  huefo 
i  nierbos  mondos  i  limpios,  i  murio  otro  dia  figuiente 
defpues.  De  todas  eftas  fuentes  fe  haza  un  rio, 
que  Hainan  el  rio  Caliente,  que  aunque  fale  por 


t  47  ] 

I  went  from  here  to  another  village  called 
Aguachapa,  which  enjoys  a  medium  temperature, 
and  where  are  found  the  fame  products  and  the 
fame  kind  of  game.  Here  is  made  the  beft  pottery, 
after  the  Indian  manner,  in  all  thefe  provinces.  It 
is  chiefly  manufactured  by  the  women,  without  the 
aid  of  a  wheel  or  other  inftrument,  with  their  hands 
alone,  in  the  ufe  of  which  they  are  fo  dexterous  as 
to  give  to  their  veflels  whatever  fhape  may  be  de- 
fired. 

There  are  two  ravines  in  the  lands  belonging  to 
this  village,  in  one  of  which  the  Indians  open  pits 
or  refervoirs  for  the  water,  whereon  collects  a  kind 
of  cream  or  fcum,  which,  when  prepared,  gives  as 
fine  a  color  as  cochineal.  With  this  they  paint 
their  pottery  in  a  very  curious  manner.  I  believe 
it  to  be  bole  of  Armenia,  for  it  has  the  fame  pecu 
liarities  ;  and  a  doctor  afTured  me  that  when  taken 
inwardly  it  cured  the  bloody  flux,  and  that  it  has 
proved  to  be  ufeful  in  peftilential  maladies.  If  this 
be  fo,  we  may  believe  that  the  water  which  flows 
in  this  ravine,  traverfes  a  mine  of  bole  of  Armenia. 
In  the  other  ravine,  in  the  fame  manner,  they  ob 
tain  a  kind  of  black  earth,  which  gives  an  excellent 
black  color;  it  however,  wafhes  out.  Near  this 
place  I  alfo  found  fome  fprings  of  boiling  water ; 
they  are  of  different  origins  and  of  various  colors. 
The  Indians  call  the  place  where  they  are  found 
Hell,  and  not  without  fome  reafon.  They  are  all 
within  the  fpace  of  a  gun  (hot  acrofs,  and  each 


debajo  de  la  tierra,  mas  de  media  legua  defte  lugar 
a  contecido  pelar  los  pies  a  un  caballo  i  mancalle. 
Dos  tiros  de  arcabuz  mas  cerca  de  una  fierra  que 
alii  efta,  ay  otros  refpiraderos  de  agua  caliente,  i 
efta  una  piedra  de  cinco  varas  de  largo  i  tres 
de  ancho,  endida  por  medio,  i  fale  fiempre  por  la 
endedura  cantidades  de  humo ;  i  llegandofe  a  ella 
fe  oye  el  mas  orrible  i  efpantofo  ruido  que  fe  fale ; 
y  acontece  muchas  beces  quando  los  tiempos  an- 
dan  rebueltos,  que  falen  por  alii  unos  bramidos  i 
truenos  que  fe  oyen  media  legua  al  derredor.  Cofa 
por  cierta  que  admira  en  el  monte  donde  eflo  efta, 
ay  grandes  i  gruefos  arboles,  i  un  genero  de  robles 
de  grandifimas  bellotas  de  que  los  muchachos  ha- 
zen  tinteros ;  e  yo  tengo  una  concha  de  las  dichas 
bellotas,  que  tienen  tres  dedos  de  gruefo.  Ay  en 
los  terminos  defte  lugar  efcorpiones  tan  grandes 
como  gazapos,  e  un  genero  de  fapos  menores  que 
ranas,  que  faltan  por  los  arboles,  i  fe  tienen  como 
pajaros.  En  tiempo  de  aguas  hazen  tan  grande 
eftruendo  i  dan  tan  grandes  bramidos  como  unos 
terneros,  i  aunque  efto  me  le  habian  afirmado  no 
lo  quife  creher  hafta  vello  ;  i  anfimefmo  las  mayores 
ormigas  que  he  vifto.  Comenlas  los  naturales,  i 
las  venden  en  fus  mercados. 

Toda  efta  provincia  efta  repartida  en  8  partidos 
de  clerigos  ;  i  por  el  mucho  comercio  que  en  ella 
ay,  es  gente  entendida  e  ladina,  e  inftruida  por  la 
mayor  parte  en  las  cofas  de  la  Fee. 

La  provincia  de  Cen9onatl  fe  acaba  en  el  lugar 


[  49  ] 

makes  a  different  noife.  One  imitates  a  fuller's 
mill,  another  the  found  of  a  forge,  and  a  third  a 
man  fnoring;  in  fad:  they  give  forth  a  thoufand 
different  noifes.  The  water  in  fome  is  clear,  in 
fome  turbid,  and  in  others  red,  yellow,  and  of  va 
rious  colors,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  mine 
rals  which  they  contain,  or  of  the  fmoke  which 
rifes  from  them.  They  all  leave  depofits  of  va 
rious  colors,  which  it  feems  to  me  might  be  ufed 
for  painting.  The  Indians  are  accuftomed  to  place 
their  veflels  over  fome  of  thefe  openings,  and  thus 
cook  their  food.  Three  years  ago,  a  boy  paffing 
here,  one  of  his  legs  broke  through  the  cruft  which 
had  been  formed  over  one  of  thefe  fprings,  and 
although  the  limb  was  immediately  withdrawn,  it 
was  deprived  of  its  flem,  and  only  the  bones  and 
tendons  remained.  The  boy  died  on  the  fecond 
day  after.  Collectively,  thefe  fprings  form  a  river 
called  Rio  Caliente  (Hot  River),  which  does  not 
emerge  from  the  earth  for  more  than  half  a  league 
from  them,  and  even  there  is  fo  hot  as  to  burn  the 
feet  of  horfes  and  make  them  lame.  Double  the 
range  of  a  mufket  mot  from  thefe  fprings,  nearer  a 
mountain  which  is  found  here,  are  other  refpira- 
deros  of  hot  water.  One  of  thefe  is  in  a  rock  five 
yards  long  and  three  broad,  which  is  fplit  in  the 
middle,  and  from  this  opening  it  conftantly  fends 
out  fmoke  (I3);  and  on  approaching  it,  one  hears 
a  fearful  found,  which  it  is  faid,  at  certain  times, 
fuch  as  the  changes  of  the  feafons,  refembles  thun- 


[  5°  ] 

dicho,  i  comienza  la  de  Sn.  Salvador  en  el  de  Ati- 
quizaya,  que  es  un  lugarejo  de  V.  R.  Corona. 
Tiene  las  cazas  e  fertilidad  dicho,  tienen  i  hacen 
una  mafa  i  betun  que  llaman  axin,  de  un  genero  de 
gufanos  ediondos  i  ponzonofos,  que  is  marabillofo 
medicamento  para  todo  genero  de  frialdades  y  otras 
indifpoficiones.  Nace  dos  leguas  defte  lugar  el  rio 
que  llaman  de  Aguachapa,  y  a  7  de  fu  nacimiento 
va  muy  grande,  i  a  1 3,  que  es  donde  entra  en  el  mar 
del  fur,  grandifimo.  Creo  que  en  todas  las  Indias 
no  ay  rio  tan  grande,  con  tan  poca  corriente. 

De  alii  fuy  al  lugar  de  Sta.  Ana;  no  tiene  cofa 
de  notar  mas  que  de  dos  generos  de  madera,  de 
las  aftillas  de  la  una  hacen  i  tienen  la  color  leonada, 
i  el  otro  palo  ii  lo  echan  en  el  agua  fe  torna  azul. 
Eftremadamente  cerca  del  dicho  efta  un  lugarejo 
que  fe  llama  Coatan,  i  en  fus  terminos  una  laguna 
en  la  falda  del  volcan  dicho,  ondilima  i  de  mala 
agua  i  muy  llena  de  caymanes.  Tienen  dos  ifletas 
en  niedio.  Los  Indies  Pipiles  tenian  efta  laguna 
por  un  oraculo  de  fuma  autoridad,  e  que  ningun 
humano  podra  ver  lo  que  en  ella  habia,  i  que  el 
que  probafe  fe  habia  de  tullir  i  morir  mala  muerte; 
i  deribavan  efta  devocion  de  patranas  antiguas ;  en 
efte  herror  mande  que  me  hiciefen  unas  balfas  para 
entrar  en  la  dicha  ifla  i  defenganarles  de  tal  tor- 
peza.  Eftando  fechas  i  para  partirme  pareze  que 
ciertos  negros  i  mulatos  de  una  eftancia  alii  vezina, 
entraron  en  la  ifla  e  hallaron  un  idolo  grande  de 
piedra  de  figura  de  muger,  i  algunos  facrificios. 


[  5'   ] 

der,  and  may  be  heard  for  a  diftance  of  half  a 
league  around.  However  this  may  be,  one  thing 
is  certain  and  to  be  admired,  and  that  is  the  foreft 
in  which  this  fpring  is  found.  The  trees  are  tall 
and  thick,  and  there  is  a  kind  of  oak  producing 
immenfe  acorns,  from  which  the  boys  make  ink- 
ftands.  I  have  the  fhell  of  one  of  thefe,  which  is 
three  inches  in  diameter. 

There  are  hereabouts  fcorpions  as  large  as  young 
rabbits,  and  a  kind  of  toad  fmaller  than  a  frog, 
which  mounts  into  the  trees,  and  might  be  taken 
for  a  bird.  In  the^  rainy  feafon  it  makes  a  fearful 
noife,  like  that  of  a  calf.  Although  I  was  told 
this,  I  could  not  believe  it,  until  I  taw  the  animal 
for  myfelf.  Here  alfo,  are  found  the  largeft  ants 
that  I  ever  faw.  The  natives  eat  them,  and  they 
are.  fold  in  their  markets. 

This  province  is  divided  into  eight  eccleiiaftical 
diftricls ;  and  in  confequence  of  its  conliderable 
commerce,  its  inhabitants  are  intelligent,  fagacious, 
and  for  the  moft  part  well  inftru<fted  in  the  efTen- 
tials  of  the  Faith 

At  the  point  laft  named,  the  province  of  Cen- 
conatl  terminates ;  that  of  San  Salvador  com 
mences  at  Ataquizaya,  a  little  village  belonging  to 
the  crown.  This  has  the  fame  climate  and  pro 
ductions  with  the  towns  juft  defcribed;  and  here 
they  make,  from  a  ftinking  and  venemous  worm, 
a  dough  or  pafte  called  axin,  which  is  an  admirable 
remedy  againft  cold  humors  and  other  maladies. 


[    52    1 

Cerca  hube  de  lo  que  fe  hallo  unos  Chalchibites  que 
fon  piedras  de  las  que  fuelen  aprobechar  para  la 
ijada  orina  e  materias.  Con  lo  qual  los  Indios 
viejos  i  antiguos  fe  defenganaron  de  fu  hierro,  i  los 
mozos  mas  Criftianos  entendieron  la  burla  de  aquel 
fantuario  fer  como  las  demas  de  fu  gentilidad. 

Todos  los  lugares  comarcanos  fon  de  buen  tem 
ple  e  fertilidad,  e  de  las  demas  buenas  calidades 
dichas. 

Con  el  termino  i  montes  del  lugar  Guaymoco 
de  V.  Real  Corona,  ay  grandes  arboles  de  balfamo, 
i  en  toda  la  cofta  de  Tonala,  que  es  de  fu  partido. 
En  la  iglefia  del  vi  doce  pilares  del  balfamo  de  a 
mas  de  55  pies  de  alto.  Es  madera  muy  recia  i  pefada. 
El  licor  que  en  comun  fe  coje  del  es  por  el  bueno 
en  el  verano  que  aca  es  defde  Noviembre  hafta 
Mayo ;  vale  una  botija  perulera  del,  dofcientos  i 
quarenta  reales.  Los  Indios  facanlo  con  alguna 
violencia,  porque  para  que  el  arbol  de  e  deftile  mas, 
lo  chamufcan  con  lena  al  derrido  del  tronco ;  yo 
he  hecho  facarlo  i  cojello  como  el  arbol  la  da  i 
defpide,  fin  otra  fuerza  de  fuego  ni  inftrumento. 
Dizen  es  licor  marabillofo ;  i  que  fera  de  mejor 
efeclo  hecha  fu  femilla  como  almendras,  i  en  ellas 
cria  un  licor  como  oro,  hize  facar  un  poco,  tam- 
bien  fe  cree  que  marabillofa  cofa ;  en  abiendo  oca- 
fion  fe  efparimentara,  tambien  hize  facar  de  las 
mefmas  pepitas  agua,  dicen  las  mugeres  que  es 
muy  buena  para  agua  de  roftro. 

De  alii  fe  va  a  la  ciudad  de  San  Salvador  por  una 


[  53  ] 

Two  leagues  from  here  the  river  Aguachapa  takes 
its  rife ;  at  a  diftance  of  feven  leagues  from  its 
fource  it  is  a  large  ftream,  and  at  thirteen  leagues, 
where  it  falls  into  the  fea,  it  is  very  large.  I  do 
not  believe,,  that  in  all  the  Indies,  there  is  fo  large 
a  river  with  fo  mort  a  courfe. 

From  this  place  I  went  to  Sta.  Ana,  where  there 
is  nothing  remarkable  except  two  kinds  of  wood, 
from  the  chippings  of  one  of  which,  when  foaked 
in  water,  is  obtained  a  fawn  color,  and  from  thofe 
of  the  other  a  fine  blue.  Very  near  here,  is  a  little 
village  called  Coatan,  in  the  neighborhood  of 
which  is  a  lake,  lituated  on  the  flank  of  the  vol 
cano.  (I4)  Its  water  is  bad ;  it  is  deep,  and  full  of 
caymans.  In  its  middle  there  are  two  fmall  iflands. 
The  Indians  regard  this  lake  as  an  oracle  of  much 
authority.  They  believe  that  no  man  can  endure 
to  fee  what  it  contains,  and  that  whoever  makes 
the  attempt  will  become  dumb  and  die  fome  fear 
ful  death.  They  derive  this  fuperftition  from  their 
ancient  legends,  and  in  view  of  it,  I  ordered  fome 
rafts  to  be  made  on  the  fpot,  to  take  me  to  the 
iilands,  in  order  to  undeceive  the  Indians.  They 
were  made  accordingly,  but  at  the  moment  of  em 
barking,  I  learned  that  certain  negroes  and  mulattos 
of  an  adjacent  eftate  had  been  there,  and  had  found 
a  great  idol  of  ftone,  in  the  form  of  a  woman,  and 
fome  objects  which  had  been  offered  in  facrifice. 
Near  by  were  found  fome  Hones  called  chalchibites, 
which  are  good  againft  difeafes  of  the  liver  and 


[  54] 

angoftura  i  callejon  eftrano ;  pafafe  yendo  por  el 
un  rio  67  vezes.  Efta  a  la  falda  de  un  volcan 
grande,  i  de  mucha  circumferencia  por  fus  faldas ; 
no  echa  fuego,  porque  la  materia  que  la  caufaba  fe 
debio  de  acabar  en  el  tiempo  que  ardio,  confumio 
e  hizo  tan  gran  boca  que  boxa  mas  de  media  le- 
gua,  i  efta  ondifima;  i  antes  de  llegar  a  lo  bajo 
haze  dos  eftancias  6  plazas  a  la  forma  que  fon  los 
que  fe  hazen  en  los  hornos  de  cal;  de  lo  mas  ondo 
e  ultimo  iale  un  humo  ordinario,  i  de  tan  grande 
hedor  que  ha  contecido  llegandofe  un  Efpanol 
cerca  defmayarfe,  y  amortecerle.  Defde  lo  ultimo 
e  bajo  afta  lo  mas  alto  efta  lleno  de  grandes  cedros, 
pinos,  i  otros  muchos  generos  de  arboles  i  animales, 
i  de  quemazones  del  fuego  que  folia  haber  en  el. 

Tres  leguas  de  fu  eftremidad  efta  un  lugar  que  fe 
llama  Nixapa,  donde  ay  un  pedazo  de  monte  afpero 
que  llaman  malpays,  de  piedra  i  de  mucha  tierra 
quemada  i  arrojada,  muy  tendida  i  de  grandes  pe- 
dazos ;  i  aufi  pone  admiracion  donde  pudo  venir, 
pues  en  todo  lo  que  ay  hafta  el  dicho  volcan  no 
parece  fenal  de  lugar  de  aya  habido  fuego ;  lino  en 
dicho  volcan  parece  que  pues  las  piedras  y  tierra 
que  alii  ay  es  que  manda,  i  no  ay  lugar  do  mas 
cerca  pudiefe  falir  que  el  dicho  volcan  lo  arrojo  al 
tiempo  que  tenia  fuego,  como  lo  an  fecho  en  eftas 
provincias  uno  que  ay  en  el  valle  defte  ciudad,  que 
pocas  anos  ha  hecho  de  li  grandes  mon tones  de 
fuego  i  piedra ;  i  otro  de  Nicaragua  que  rebento  i 


[  55  ] 

bladder.  (Js)  This  vifit  undeceived  the  old  In 
dians,  and  convinced  them  of  their  errors,  at  the 
fame  time  that  it  gave  the  younger  and  Chriftianized 
Indians  to  underftand,  that  the  ideas  connected 
with  this  fanctuary  were  as  abfurd  as  the  other 
notions  of  their  paganifm. 

All  the  villages  in  this  vicinity  are  of  good 
climate,  furrounded  by  a  fertile  foil,  and  poifefs  the 
various  good  qualities  already  mentioned.  In  the 
diftrict  of  the  village  of  Guaymoco,  and  in  the 
forefts  which  pertain  to  it,  as  alfo  in  all  the  coaft 
of  Tonala,  are  found  balfam  trees  of  large  fize.  In 
the  church  of  the  village,  I  faw  twelve  pillars  of 
balfam  wood,  which  were  at  leaft  55  feet  high. 
It  is  a  hard  and  heavy  wood.  The  bed  balfam  is 
collected  between  November  and  May,  and  a  bottle 
of  it  is  valued  at  40  rials.  The  Indians  obtain  it 
from  the  trees  with  fome  degree  of  violence ;  and 
in  order  to  make  them  diftil  rapidly  they  build 
fires  around  their  trunks.  They  fay  that  this  balm 
is  a  marvellous  liquor;  and  in  order  to  give  it 
greater  effect,  they  extract  an  oil  from  the  nuts  of 
the  trees,  which  looks  like  gold ;  alfo,  a  kind  of 
liquid,  which  the  women  aver  is  very  good  as  a 
cofmetic.  (l6) 

Going  from  here  to  the  city  of  San  Salvador  it 
is  necerTary  to  pafs  through  a  defile  exceedingly 
narrow,  and  to  crofs  the  ftream  which  flows 
through  it  fixty-feven  times.  (J7)  The  city  is 
fituated  on  the  flank  of  a  very  high  volcano,  of 


[  56  ] 

fubertio  unas  iierras  fobre  un  valle,  e  undio  ciertos 
lugares  de  Indies,  en  que  mureron  hartos. 

De  dicho  volcan  falen  muchas  e  muy  buenas 
aguas,  junto  al  dicho  lugar  de  Nixapa  fe  forma  un 
rio  dellas.  I  fale  un  arroyo  que  corre  i  lleba  agua 
de  noche  i  afta  las  7  u  8  del  dia,  e  lo  demas  fe 
zume  e  no  pareze.  Junto  al  cerro  de  San  Juan, 
en  la  provincia  de  la  Choluteca,  es  publico  ay  otro 
que  folo  corre  afta  medio  dia,  i  de  alii  hafta  la 
noche  fe  zume  el  agua ;  i  otra  en  la  provincia  de 
Chiapa  que  tres  anos  continues  corre,  i  tres  no  corre 
ni  parece  agua. 

Anfimifmo  en  la  falda  de  dicha  volcan  ay  una 
oya  redonda  de  mucha  anchura  que  mueftra  haber 
fido  volcan  i  ardido  mucho  tiempo,  porque  en  todo 
fu  circuyto  la  tierra  i  pena  efta  muy  quemada  e 
molida  del  fuego.  Naze  agora  en  ella  una  fuente 
de  bonifiima  agua,  de  que  fe  provehe  el  lugar  de 
Cufcatan,  que  efta  afentado  a  la  orilla  della. 

Junto  al  dicho  lugar  efta  la  ciudad  de  San  Sal 
vador;  es  de  buen  temple  i  fertil  tierra,  i  en  el  al- 
tura  de  13°  36'.  Quando  llegue  a  ella  caii  eftaba 
defpoblada,  porque  un  temblor  grande  que  hizo  el 
fegundo  dia  de  la  Pafcua  del  Efpiritu  Santo  pafado 
les  derroco  i  molio  todas  fus  cafas,  que  aunque 
muchas  heran  fuertes  e  buenas  fe  cayeron  e  habrie- 
ron.  Fue  el  mas  efpantofo  que  jamas  dicefe  ha 
vifto. 

Yo  vi  un  lienzo  bien  gruefo  de  la  pared  de 
una  Iglefia  que  habiendole  lebantado  el  temblor 


[  57  ] 

wide  circumference,  which  is  now  extinct,  probably 
becaufe  it  confumed  all  the  materials  of  a  com- 
buftible  nature  which  were  in  it,  during  the  period 
of  its  activity.  It  has  an  enormous  crater,  half  a 
league  broad,  and  very  deep.  In  defcending  into 
it,  are  found  two  terraces  or  platforms,  fimilar  to 
thofe  in  lime  kilns.  From  the  laft  and  loweft  rifes 
a  fmoke  fo  offensive,  that  a  Spaniard  who  reached 
there  barely  eicaped  fuffocation.  This  mountain 
is  covered  from  top  to  bottom  with  great  cedars, 
pines,  and  forefts  of  other  trees,  abounding  with 
animals,  and  has  many  deep  ravines,  caufed  by  fire. 
Three  leagues  diftant,  near  a  place  named  Nix- 
apa,  there  is  a  piece  of  rough  country  called  mal- 
pays,  covered  with  rocks  and  burned  earth  in  con- 
fufed  mafTes,  which  is  the  more  furprifing  as  be 
tween  this  fpot  and  the  volcano  there  is  not  the 
leaft  trace  of  fire.  (l8)  It  muft  be  believed  there 
fore,  that  thefe  marTes  were  thrown  here  from  the 
volcano,  during  one  of  its  eruptions,  as  has  happend 
with  the  volcano  of  Guatemala,  which  has  vomited 
great  volumes  of  fire  within  the  paft  few  years,  and 
as  has  happened  alfo,  in  Nicaragua,  where  one 
broke  out  in  eruption,  and  raifed  feveral  moun 
tains  in  what  was  before  a  valley,  overwhelming 
various  Indian  towns,  and  deftroying  many  of  their 
inhabitants.  There  flow  from  this  volcano  a  great 
many  ftreams  of  water,  which  unite  near  the  faid 
village  of  Nixapa,  and  form  a  river.  There  is  one 
rivulet  which  flows  all  night,  and  until  7  or  8  o'clock 

8 


arriba,  fe  torno  a  ientar  defbiado  de  fu  cimiento  un 
xeme  por  algunas  partes,  y  otras  muchas  cofas  a 
efte  tono,  i  en  el  camino  i  fierras  que  llaman  de 
los  Tec9acuangos  hendidas  per  muchas  partes. 
Ninguna  cofa  de  los  Indies  de  aquellas  fierras  quedo 
en  pie ;  todas  cayeron.  Contome  un  Efpanol  que 
caminaba  por  alii  a  la  lazon  que  temblo,  que  las 
fierras  pareciafe  juntaban,  unas  con  otras,  e  que  a  el 
fue  forzado  a  apearfe  i  tenderfe  en  el  iuelo,  por  que 
no  fe  pudo  tener  en  pie. 

La  cafa  donde  yo  eftaba  arfaba  como  un  navio  ; 
parecia  que  los  demas  llegaban  con  los  tejados  al 
fuelo ;  e  quifo  N.  S.  que  no  peligraron  fino  tres 
perfonas  que  fue  efpanto  i  mifericordia  fuya ;  fegun 
las  cafas  cayeron  i  la  gente  andaba  turbada,  i  efpan- 
tada  en  los  arrabales  de  la  ciudad. 

Salen  tres  hojos  muy  grandes  de  agua  caliente, 
muy  buena  i  clara,  e  fin  ningun  mal  fabor,  i 
que  en  facandola  fe  enfria  i  bebe ;  en  fu  naci- 
rniento  es  algo  calida,  aunque  fe  puede  fufrir,  como 
va  corriendo  fe  va  resfriando.  No  creo  que  en  el 
mundo  puede  haber  difpoficion  para  los  banos 
que  en  las  dichas  fuentes. 

Cerca  a  la  dicha  ciudad  ay  una  laguna,  que  boxa 
cinco  leguas,  de  poco  fructo  hafta  agora,  aunque  han 
hechado  algunos  mojarras,  no  havido  pefcado  de 
momento.  Quentan  los  naturales  Indios  antiguos, 
que  folia  haver  en  ella  culebras  de  eftrana  grandeza, 
i  que  un  cazique  de  un  lugar  que  fe  llama  Atem- 
pamacegua  topo  una  que  fegun  la  demoftracion 


[  59  ] 

in  the  morning,  and  which  is  dry  during  the  reft 
of  the  day.  It  is  well  known  that  near  the  moun 
tains  of  San  Juan,  in  the  province  of  Choluteca, 
there  is  another  fpring  which  flows  until  noon,  and 
then  flops  until  night ;  and  another  in  the  pro 
vince  of  Chiapas,  in  which  the  water  flows  for 
three  years,  and  then  ftops  for  an  equal  time.  (*?) 
On  the  flank  of  the  fame  volcano,  is  a  large 
round  opening,  which  appears  to  have  been  an 
ciently  a  crater,  for  all  around  it  the  cliffs  and  earth 
are  burned  and  cracked  by  fire.  A  fmall  ftream  of 
excellent  water  now  flows  from  it,  which  fupplies 
the  village  of  Cuzcatlan,  fituated  on  its  banks. 
Near  here  is  the  city  of  San  Salvador,  with  a  fine 
climate  and  fertile  foil.  Its  latitude  is  13°  36'. 
When  I  arrived  there  I  found  it  nearly  depopu 
lated,  in  confequence  of  a  great  earthquake  which 
took  place  on  the  fecond  day  of  Eafter  preced 
ing.  This  earthquake  fplit  and  threw  down  all 
the  houfes  of  the  town,  notwithftanding  that  they 
were  generally  ftrong  and  well-built.  It  is  faid 
that  it  was  the  fevereft  and  moft  fearful  ever  known. 
I  myfelf  faw  a  large  fragment  of  the  fa9ade  of  a 
church,  which  had  been  lifted  up,  turned,  and 
thrown  for  fome  diftance  from  its  foundation,  and 
many  other  things  of  this  kind.  The  road  and  the 
mountains  called  Tec9acuangos  was  fiflured  in 
many  places,  and  not  a  fingle  houfe  of  the  Indians 
in  thofe  mountains  was  left  ftanding ;  all  were 
thrown  down.  A  Spaniard  who  was  travelling 


1 60  ] 

hacia  debia  tener  mas  que  50  pies.  No  lo  tengo 
por  cofa  muy  autentica,  porque  nadie  dice  la  ha 
vifto  fino  efta  cazique,  aunque  es  notorio  por  la 
fama  antigua  en  toda  aquella  provincia. 

En  la  cofta  del  Sur  ay  unos  campos  que  fe  llaman 
de  Jivoga  [Jiboa],  que  corren  14  leguas,  hafta  el 
rio  Lempa,  termino  de  la  provincia  de  San  Miguel, 
llanos  y  abundantes  de  pafto  para  gran  cantidad  de 
ganado;  al  prefente  ay  algunas  eftancias,  pero  muy 
poco  ganado  para  lo  que  podria  haber.  Ay  en  ella 
grandes  pefquerias  i  difpoficion  para  hacer  fal  al 
modo  de  los  Indies.  A  un  lado  dellos,  e  a  la  falda 
de  un  alto  volcan,  eftan  quatro  lugares  de  Indios 
que  llaman  los  Nunualcos,  donde  de  poco  tiempo  a 
efta  parte  fe  beneficia  e  cria  cacao  abundantifima- 
mente,  y  en  tanta  cantidad  que  tanto  por  tanto 
efcede  a  la  provincia  de  los  Izalcos. 

A  la  parte  del  norte  del  dicho  volcan  efta  un 
lugar  que  fe  dize  Iztepeque,  i  en  fus  terminos  unos 
manantiales  de  agua  caliente  de  la  mifma  forma 
que  dixe  los  habia  en  el  lugar  de  Aguachapa ; 
tienan  mucho  alumbre  i  azufre ;  en  todo  aquel  al- 
derredor  ay  muchos  arboles  i  yerbas  para  buenos 
efeclos,  i  en  efpecial  eftan  los  rnontes  llenos  de  la 
rayz  de  Mechoacan.  Del  lugar  dicho,  aunque  es 
en  la  mifma  provincia,  comienza  otra  lengua  de 
Indios,  que  llaman  los  Chontales,  gente  mas  bruta, 
aunque  antiguamente  valientes  entre  ellos. 

Hay  en  la  dicha  provincia  una  laguana  que  fe 
dize  de  Uxaca  grande,  i  que  de  fu  defaguadero  fe 


[  61   ] 

there,  at  the  time,  related  to  me,  that  the  moun 
tains  rocked  towards  each  other  as  if  they  would 
join,  and  that  he  was  forced  to  difmount  and  lie 
down,  from  the  abfolute  impoffibility  of  ftanding 
erect.  The  houfe  in  which  I  flopped,  had  been 
tofTed  about  like  a  verTel  at  fea,  and  it  feems  that  the 
others  were  all  thrown  down  with  their  roofs  flat  on 
the  ground  ;  but  thanks  to  God  only  three  perfons 
perimed,  which  was  a  fpecial  mark  of  mercy,  lince 
moft  of  the  houfes  fell  while  yet  the  inhabitants 
wandered  in  confufion  and  alarm  in  the  fuburbs.  (20) 
There  are,  near  the  city,  three  large  fprings  of 
hot  water,  clear  and  good,  without  any  bad  tafte 
whatever,  which  may  be  drunk  when  it  cools.  They 
are  of  fupportable  temperature  near  their  fources, 
and  the  water  cools  in  running,  fo  that  I  do  not  be 
lieve  there  exifts  a  better  place  in  the  world  for  the 
eftablimment  of  baths,  than  is  afforded  by  thefe 
fprings.  Near  this  city  there  is  alfo  a  lake,  about  five 
leagues  in  circuit,  but  of  very  little  utility,  Jor  al 
though  fome  mojarras  have  been  thrown  into  it, 
yet  up  to  this  time  it  has  no  fifh  worthy  of  men 
tion.  The  old  Indians  fay  that  there  are  ferpents 
in  this  lake,  of  extraordinary  fize,  and  that  the  ca- 
zique  of  a  town  called  Atempamacegua  encounter 
ed  one  which,  according  to  his  defcription,  was 
fifty  feet  long.  I  do  not  hold  this  as  very  authen 
tic,  for  no  one  pretends  having  feen  any,  except 
this  cazique ;  neverthelefs  the  notion  has  prevailed 
in  the  country  for  a  long  time.  (2I) 


[  62  ] 

forma  i  haze  el  rio  de  Lempa,  que  es  uno  de  los 
mayores  defte  diftri&o.  Tiene  en  medio  dos  pe- 
fioles,  en  uno  de  los  quales  antiguamente  los  Indies 
de  aquel  deftridto  hacia  fus  facrificios  e  idolatrias. 
Es  tierra  aunque  caliente,  fertil,  de  mucha  pefca  i 
ca2:a ;  hay  algunos  venados  blancos,  i  no  fe  fabe  en 
eftas  provincias  en  otras  partes  do  los  haya.  En  fu 
ribera  hay  un  jenero  de  arboles  pequenos  que  dan 
una  goma  de  lindo  olor  i  que  femeja  i  parece  menjuy 
fmifimo ;  de  la  flor  muy  olorofa  i  el  fruto  no  fe 
fabe  que  fea  de  provecho. 

Tres  leguas  della  efta  el  lugar  de  Micla,*  donde 

antipruamente  los   Indios  Pipiles  defta  diftridlo  te- 

•  j          •       •         •        '      c  j 

man  gran  devocion  i  venian  a  orrecer  lus  dones  e 

hacer  facrificios ;  i  lo  mefmo  hazian  los  Chon tales 
e  otros  Indios  comarcanos  de  diferentes  lenguas. 
Tenian  en  fus  facrificios  algunas  efpecialidades  que 
en  otras  partes,  i  cues  i  teupas  de  mucha  autoridad, 
de  que  aun  oy  ay  grandes  fenales  e  indicios. 

Allende  del  cazique  i  Senor  natural,  tenian  un 
papa  que  llamaban  Te&i,  el  qual  fe  veftia  de  una 
ropa  larga  azul,  i  traia  en  la  cabeza  una  diadema  i 
a  vezes  mitra  labrada  de  diferentes  colores,  i  en  los 
cabos  della  un  manojo  de  plumas  muy  buenas  de 
unas  pajaros  que  ay  en  efta  tierra,  que  llaman 
£>uetzales.  Traya  de  ordinario  un  baculo  en  la 
mano  a  manera  de  obilpo,  i  a  efte  obedecian  todos 


*  Herrara,  in  copying  this  paragraph,  fubftitutes  Mimilla  tor  Micla. 


[  63   ] 

On  the  fouth  coaft  there  is  a  plain  called  that  of 
Jivoga  [Jiboa],  extending  fourteen  leagues  to  the 
river  Lempa,  which  is  the  boundary  of  the  pro 
vince  of  San  Miguel.  It  is  level,  abundant  in  paf- 
turage,  and  capable  of  fupporting  a  great  number 
of  cattle;  but,  at  prefent,  there  are  only  a  few 
farms,  with  but  few  cattle  compared  with  what 
there  might  be.  There  are  here  fome  large  fim- 
eries,  and  manufactures  of  fait,  after  the  Indian 
fafhion.  To  one  fide,  and  on  the  flank  of  a  high 
volcano  [San  Vicente],  are  four  villages  of  Nunualco 
Indians,  who  have  lately  commenced  the  cultiva 
tion  of  cacao  trees,  which  produce  abundantly,  and 
on  equal  fpace  of  ground,  even  more  than  in  the 
province  of  Izalco  To  the  north  of  this  volcano 
is  a  village  called  Iztepeque,  near  which  are  fprings 
of  hot  water  like  thofe  of  Aguachapa.  Much 
alum  and  fulphur  is  found  here,  and  in  the  forefts 
thereabouts  are  many  trees  and  plants  having  me 
dicinal  virtues.  They  efpecially  abound  in  the 
root  of  Michoacan.  At  this  place,  although  in 
the  fame  province,  the  Indians  commence  to  fpeak 
a  new  language,  called  the  Chontal.  They  are  a 
very  rude  people,  but  had  anciently  a  great  reputa 
tion  for  valor  amongft  their  neighbors.  (Z2) 

In  this  province  there  is  a  lake  called  Uxaca,  in 
which  the  river  Lempa,  one  of  the  largeft  in  thefe 
regions,  has  its  fource.  It  has  in  its  center  two 
high  rocky  iflands,  on  one  of  which  the  Indians 
formerly  made  their  facrifices  and  practiced  their 
idolatries.  The  diftrd:  around  the  lake,  although 


[  64  ] 

en  lo  que  tocaba  a  las  cofas  efpirituales.  Defpues 
de  defte  tenia  el  fcgundo  lugar  en  el  facerdozio 
otro  que  llaman  tehu  a  matlini  que  hera  el  mayor 
echizero  i  letrado  en  fus  libros  i  artes,  i  el  que  de- 
claraba  los  agiieros  i  hacia  fus  pronofticos.  Habia 
allende  deftos  quatro  facerdotes  que  llamaban  teu- 
pixqui  veftidos  de  diferentes  colores  i  de  ropas  hafta 
fus  pies,  negras,  verdes,  colorados,  i  amarillas ;  i 
eftos  heran  los  del  confejo  de  las  cofas  de  fus  cere- 
monias,  i  los  que  afiftian  a  todas  los  fuperfticiones  i 
boberias  de  fu  gentilidad. 

Habia  tambien  un  mayordomo  que  tenia  cuydado 
de  guardar  las  joyas  i  prefeas  de  fus  facrificios,  i  el 
que  facaba  los  corazones  a  los  facrificados,  i  hazia 
las  demas  cofas  perfonales  que  heran  necefarias ;  i 
fin  los  dichos  habia  otros  que  tenian  trompetas  e 
inftrumentos  de  fu  gentilidad  para  convocar  i  lla- 
mar  la  gente  a  los  facrificios  que  habia  de  hazer. 

Election  del  Papa  i  Sacerdotes. 

Quando  el  Papa  fallecia,  lo  enterraban  afentado 
en  un  banco  pintado,  en  fu  propia  cafa,  i  le  lloraba 
todo  el  pueblo  quinze  dias,  con  muchos  gritos  i 
alaridos  ;  ayunaban  todos  los  quinze  dias  ;  acabadas 
las  obfequias,  el  cazique  i  el  fabio  elegian  otro  papa 
por  fuertes,  i  habia  de  fer  uno  de  los  quatro  facer- 
dotes  fufodichos  ;  i  a  la  elecion  defte  hacian  grandes 
mitotes  i  fieftas,  i  efte  ele&o  facrificaba  la  lengua  i 


[  65  ] 

fomewhat  hot,  is  fertile,  and  abounds  in  fifh  and 
game.  There  are  white  deer  alfo,  which,  fo  far  as 
I  know,  are  not  to  be  found  elfewhere.  On  its 
mores  is  a  kind  of  fmall  tree,  which  yields  a  gum 
of  delicate  odor,  refembling  the  fineft  benjamin ; 
and  alfo  a  flower  of  great  fweetnefs,  but  I  do  not 
know  if  the  fruit  be  good  or  of  ufe.  (23) 

Three  leagues  diftant,  is  the  village  of  Micla, 
which  anciently  the  Pipil  Indians  of  this  diftrict 
held  in  great  veneration;  it  was  here  they  came 
to  make  their  offerings  and  facrifices,  as  did  alfo  the 
Chontals,  and  other  neighboring  Indians  of  different 
languages.  Their  modes  of  facrificing  differed  in 
fome  refpects  from  thofe  of  other  parts.  They  had 
cues  or  temples,  and  teupas  or  priefts  of  high  author 
ity,  of  which  there  are  ftill  many  figns  and  traces. 

Befides  their  cazique  or  fecular  lord,  they  had  a 
kind  of  pope,  called  Tefti,  who  drefTed  in  a  long 
blue  robe,  and  wore  on  his  head  a  diadem,  or  fome- 
times  a  mitre  embroidered  with  many  colors,  at  the 
crown  of  which  rofe  a  clufter  of  very  beautiful  fea 
thers,  taken  from  a  bird,  called  in  this  country, 
Quetzal.  (24)  This  pontiff  carried  in  his  hand  a 
ftaff,  which  refembled  the  crook  of  a  bimop,  and 
he  was  obeyed  in  all  fpiritual  things.  After  him, 
next  in  facerdotal  authority,  was  the  tehu  a  matllni^ 
who  was  the  ableft  diviner  and  the  man  beft  verfed 
in  their  ancient  books  and  in  their  arts.  He  it  was 
who  made  auguries  and  foretold  future  events. 
After  him,  were  four  priefts  called  teupixquis,  who 

9 


[  66  ] 

miembro  genital  i  la  fangre  ofrecia  a  fus  idolos,  i 
efle  elexia  el  facerdote  que  habia  de  entrar  en  fu 
lugar,  i  havia  de  fer  uno  de  los  hijos  del  papa 
muerto  li  los  tenia  u  otro  hijo  de  los  facerdotes,  i 
los  demas  oficios  que  faltaba  en  fus  teupas. 

Adoraban  el  fol  quando  fale,  i  tenian  dos  idolos, 
el  uno  en  figura  de  hombre,  i  efte  fe  llamaba  ^uet- 
za/coat/,  i  el  otro  en  figura  de  muger,  Itzqueye ; 
todos  los  facrificios  que  hacian  heran  a  los  fufodi- 
chos,  i  tenian  calendarios  6  dias  diputados  para 
cada  uno  dellos,  i  anfi  el  facrificio  fe  hazia  conforme 
a  quien  caya  la  fuerte  del  dia. 

Sacrificios. 

Hacian  dos  facrificios  folenes  cada  ano,  el  uno  al 
principio  del  invierno,  i  otro  al  principio  del  verano  ; 
i  efte  facrificio  hera  dentro  de  la  cafa  de  oracion,  i 
los  que  facrificaban  para  efte  facrificio  heran  mu- 
chachos  de  feis  anos  hafta  doce,  baftardos,  i  nacidos 
entre  ellos. 

La  Manera  defte  Sacrificio, 

Tanian  fus  trompetas  i  atabales  un  dia  i  una 
noche  antes,  i  luego  todo  el  pueblo  fe  juntaba  en 
la  manera  fufodicha,  i  los  quatro  facerdotes  dichos 
falian  del  cue  con  quartro  braferitos  de  fuego,  i  en 


[  67  ] 

went  drefled  in  long  robes,  falling  to  their  feet, 
each  of  different  color,  black,  red,  green  and  yellow. 
Thefe  were  the  counfellors  of  the  pontiff,  and  di 
rected  all  the  fuperftitious  ceremonies  and  follies 
of  their  religion.  There  was  alfo  a  kind  of  mayor- 
domoy  who  had  charge  of  the  facred  jewels  and  the 
inftruments  of  facrifice.  He  alfo  opened  the  breafts 
of  the  victims  of  facrifice,  and  tore  out  their  hearts, 
and  performed  fuch  other  perfonal  fervices  as  were 
requifite.  Befides  all  thefe  there  were  other  func 
tionaries,  who  played  on  the  drums,  trumpets  and 
other  inftruments  ufed  in  convoking  the  people  to 
the  facrifices. 

Election  of  the  Pope  and  Pr lefts. 

When  the  chief  prieft  died,  he  was  buried  in  his 
own  houfe,feated  in  a  painted  chair,  and  all  the  people 
mourned  for  him  for  fifteen  days,  with  loud  cries  and 
lamentations.  They  alfo  fafted  during  this  period; 
but  when  this  was  over,  the  cazique  and  the  wife 
man  or  diviner  feledted  a  new  pontiff  by  lot.  It 
was  requifite  that  he  mould  be  one  of  the  four 
priefts  above  mentioned.  When  the  choice  was 
made,  they  had  great  feafts  and  dances,  and  he  who 
was  chofen  drew  blood  from  his  tongue  and  private 
parts,  and  offered  it  in  facrifice  to  the  idols.  He 
alfo  named  his  fucceffor  in  the  priefthood,  who  was 
required  to  be  a  fon  of  the  deceafed  pontiff,  if  he 
had  left  one,  if  not,  the  fon  of  fome  other  prieft. 
He  filled  alfo  the  other  offices  which  at  any  time 


[  68  ] 

ellos  pueftos  copal  i  ule,  ivanfe  derechos  todos 
quatro  juntos  a  do  fale  el  fol,  i  fe  hincavan  de  ro- 
dillas  ante  el,  i  le  zaumavan  diciendo  palabras  e  in- 
vocaciones,  i  efto  fecho  fe  dividian  hacia  quatro 
partes,  left,  oeft,  norte,  fur,  i  predicavan  fus  ridtos 
i  ceremonias.  Acavado  el  fermon  fe  entravan  corien- 
do  en  unas  cafas  que  tenia  hecha  los  quatros 
vientos,  i  defcanfavan  un  rato.  De  ay  fe  iban  a  la 
cafa  del  papa  que  eftava  junto  al  cu,  i  alii  tomavan 
el  muchacho  que  havian  de  facrificar,  i  davan 
quatro  bueltas  al  patio  en  manera  de  baile  can- 
tando.  Acabadas  las  bueltas  falia  el  papa  de  fu 
cafa,  con  el  fabio  i  mayordomo,  i  fubian  al  cu  con  el 
cazique  i  principales,  los  quales  quedavan  a  la 
puerta  de  fu  adoratario,  i  luego  los  quatro  facer- 
dotes  tomavan  al  muchacho  en  brazos,  cada  uno 
de  fu  mano  i  pie;  i  falian  luego  al  mayordomo 
con  cafcaveles  en  los  pies  i  manos,  i  moijado,  i  por 
el  finieftro  lado  le  facavan  el  corazon  i  lo  davan  al 
papa,  el  qual  lo  ponia  en  una  bolfa  labrada  pe- 
quena  i  la  cerra,  i  los  quatro  facerdotes  tomavan 
la  fangre  del  facrificado  en  unas  quartro  jicaras,  que 
fon  vafos  de  cierta  fruta  que  los  Indies  ufan,  i  fa 
lian  uno  tras  otro,  abajavan  al  patio,  i  a  las  quarto 
partes  de  los  vientos  dichos  afperjavan  la  fangre  con 
la  mano  derecha ;  i  fi  fobrava  algun  fangre,  la 
volvian  adonde  eftava  el  papa,  el  qual  hechava  la 
fangre,  corazon  i  bolfa  en  el  cuerpo  del  facrificado 
por  la  propia  herida,  i  enterravanlo  en  el  mifmo 


[  69  ] 

became  vacant  in  the  teupas,  or  temples.  They 
adored  the  rifing  fun,  and  had  two  idols,  one  repre- 
fenting  a  man,  whom  they  called  Quetzalcoatl,  and 
the  other  a  woman  named  Itzqueye.  All  their  fa 
crifices  were  made  to  them,  and  they  had  a  calendar, 
with  days  fpecially  fet  apart  for  each  one,  and  on 
thefe  the  facrifices  were  made. 

Sacrifices. 

Each  year  they  had  two  principal  and  very  fo- 
lemn  facrifices  ;  one  at  the  commencement  of  fum- 
mer,  and  the  other  at  the  beginning  of  winter. 
Thefe  were  made  in  the  interior  of  the  facred  place 
or  temple,  and  were  of  boys  between  the  ages  of  six 
and  twelve  years,  baftards,  born  among  themfelves. 

Mode  of  thefe  Sacrifices. 

They  founded  their  trumpets  and  drums  for  one 
day  and  night  before  the  facrifice,  and  when  the 
people  were  affembled,  the  four  priefts  came  out 
from  the  temple,  with  four  fmall  braziers  in  which 
they  burnt  copal  and  caoutchouc ;  and  the  four 
together,  turning  in  the  direction  of  the  riling  sun, 
bent  their  knees  to  it,  offering  incenfe,  and  reciting 
words  of  invocation.  After  this  they  feparated,  and 
did  the  fame  in  the  direction  of  the  four  cardinal 
points,  fouth,  eaft,  north  and  weft,  preaching  and 
explaining  their  rites  and  ceremonies.  When  the 
fermon  was  finimed,  they  retired  within  four  houles 
or  chapels  which  were  built  at  the  four  corners  of 


t  7°  ] 

cue.     Efte    era    el    facrificio    que   hacian    por   los 
tiempos  del  ano. 

Juntavanfe  el  papa,  fabio  i  hechizero,  con  fus 
quatro  facerdotes  i  fabian  por  fus  fuertes  i  hechice- 
rias  fi  harian  guerra  6  fi  alguno  venia  contra  ellos, 
i  fi  las  fuertes  les  decian  que  fi,  llamavan  al  cazique 
i  capitanes  de  guerra,  i  decianles  como  venian  los 
enemigos  e  adonde  havian  de  ir  a  hazer  guerra. 
El  cazique  apercevia  toda  fu  gente  de  guerra  i  falia 
en  bufca  de  fus  enemigos,  i  fi  tenian  victoria  en  la 
batalla,  luego  el  cazique  defpachava  correo  al  papa, 
i  le  havifava  el  dia  que  havia  fubcedido,  i  el  fabio 
via  aquien  fe  havia  de  hacer  el  facrificio.  Si  era  a 
§>uetza/coaf/,  durava  el  mitote  15  dias,  i  cada  dia 
facrifican  un  Indio  de  los  que  havian  cautivado  en 
la  batalla ;  i  fi  era  a  Itzqueye  durava  el  mitote  cinco 
dias,  i  cada  dia  facrificavan  otro  Indio. 

El  facrificio  le  hacia  en  efta  manera ;  que  todos 
los  que  fe  hallaron  en  la  guerra  venian  en  or- 
denanza  cantando  i  bailando,  i  traian  a  los  que 
havian  de  facrificar  con  muchas  plumas  i  chal- 
chivetes  a  los  pies  i  manos  con  fartas  de  cacao 
al  pefcuezo,  i  eftas  traian  los  capitanes  en  medio 
de  fi.  Salia  el  papa  i  facerdotes  con  los  demas 
del  pueblo  a  recebillos  con  baile  i  mufica,  i  los 
caziques  i  capitanes  ofrecian  al  papa,  aquellos 
Indios  para  el  facrificio,  ivanfe  luego  todos  juntos 
al  patio  de  fu  teupa  i  bailavan  todos  los  dias 
i  noches  fufodichos.  I  en  medio  del  patio  ponian 
una  piedra  como  poyo,  i  fobre  ella  hechaban  al 


the  temple,  and  there  refted  for  a  little  while.  They 
next  went  to  the  houfe  of  the  high  prieft,  which 
was  clofe  to  the  temple,  and  took  thence  the  boy 
who  was  to  be  facrificed,  and  conducted  him  four 
times  around  the  court  of  the  temple,  dancing  and 
finging.  When  the  ceremony  was  finifhed,  the 
high  prieft  came  out  of  his  houfe,  with  the  iecond 
prieft  and  mayordomo,  and  afcended  the  fteps  of 
the  temple,  accompanied  by  the  cazique  and  prin 
cipal  Indians,  who,  however,  flopped  at  the  door 
of  the  fancftuary.  The  four  priefts  next  feized  the 
victim  by  his  extremities,  and  the  mayordomo 
coming  out,  with  little  bells  on  his  wrifts  and 
ankles,  opened  the  left  breaft  of  the  boy,  tore  out 
his  heart  and  handed  it  to  the  high  prieft,  who  put 
it  into  a  little  embroidered  purfe,  which  he  clofed. 
The  priefts  received  the  blood  of  the  victim  in  four 
jzcaras,  which  are  vefTels  made  from  the  {hell  of  a 
certain  kind  of  fruit  (the  calabafli],  and,  defcending 
one  after  another  into  the  court,  fprinkled  it,  with 
their  right  hands,  in  the  direction  of  the  cardinal 
points.  If  any  blood  remained  over,  they  returned 
it  to  the  high  prieft,  who  put  it  back,  with  the 
purfe  containing  the  heart,  into  the  body  of  the 
victim,  which  was  interred  in  the  temple  itfelf. 
This  was  the  kind  of  facrifice  made  at  the  opening 
of  the  two  feafons  of  the  year.  (25) 

The  high  prieft,  his  fecond,  and  the  four  priefts 
were  accuftomed  to  meet  to  afcertain,  by  forcery 
and  enchantment,  if  they  mould  make  war,  or  if 


[    72    ] 

Indio  que  habian  de  facrificar  defpaldas  i  los  qua- 
tro  facerdotes  tenian  al  Indio  de  pies  i  manos,  (alia 
el  mayordomo  con  muchas  plumas  i  cargado  de 
cafcabeles  con  un  navajon  de  piedra  en  la  mana,  i 
le  abria  el  pecho,  i  le  facaba  el  corazon,  i  en  fa- 
candolo  lo  hechaba  en  alto  a  las  partes  de  los  qua- 
tro  vientos,  i  la  quinta  vez  lo  echaba  en  medio  del 
patio  derecho  en  alto  quanto  podia  i  decia  toma 
Dios  el  premio  defla  vitoria.  Efte  facrilicio  hera 
publico  que  todos  chicos  i  grandes  lo  vian. 

Los  que  heran  foldados  de  la  guerra  no  dormian 
en  fus  cafas  con  fus  mugeres  lino  en  unos  calpules 
que  tenian  diputados  por  ellos,  lo  propio  los  man- 
zebos  que  amoftraban  elarte  de  la  milicia,  i  de 
dia  iban  a  cafas  de  fus  mugeres  a  comer  i  beber,  i 
de  alii  a  fus  milpas,  i  liempre  quedava  una  compa- 
nia  a  guardar  el  pueblo.  Conocianfe  los  valientes 
en  el  que  mas  agujeros  le  haria  en  fu  miembro, 
aquel  hera  mas  valiente.  Las  mugeres  facrificavan 
las  orejas  i  lengua,  i  (e  labravan  todo  el  cuerpo,  i  la 
fangre  que  le  falia  lo  coxian  en  algodones  i  lo  ofre- 
cian  a  fus  idoles,  las  mugeres  a  Itzqueye,  i  los  hom- 
bres  a  ^uetzalcoatl. 

Las  fuperfticiones  que  hazian  para  fus  femente- 
ras  hera  que  tomavan  en  unas  jicaras  pequenas  todas 
las  fuertes  de  femillas  que  querian  fembrar,  i  las 
llevaban  ante  el  altar  de  fus  idolos,  i  en  el  fuelo  ha 
zian  un  oyo,  i  los  ponian  por  fu  horden  i  la  cobi- 
jaban  con  tierra,  i  fobre  ellos  ponian  un  brafero 
grande  con  muchas  brafas  i  con  copal  y  ule.  I  los 


[  73  ] 

their  foes  were  coming  to  attack  them ;  and  if  it 
appeared  that  fuch  an  event  was  to  take  place,  they 
called  together  the  cazique  and  war  chief,  and  ad- 
vifed  them  of  the  approach  of  their  enemies,  and 
whether  they  mould  go  to  meet  them.  The  cazi 
que  then  aflembled  the  foldiers,  and  all  went  out 
to  battle.  If  he  was  victorious,  he  defpatched  a 
mefTenger  to  the  high  prieft,  advifing  him  of  the 
date  of  the  occurrence,  and  on  this  information  the 
diviner  afcertained  to  which  of  the  Gods  facrifice 
was  to  be  made.  If  to  Quetzalcoatly  the  ceremo 
nies  lafted  fifteen  days;  if  to  Itzqueye,  five  days, 
and  on  each  day  they  facrificed  a  prifoner.  Thefe 
facrifices  were  made  as  follows :  All  thofe  who 
had  taken  part  in  the  war,  returned  home  in  or 
der,  finging  and  dancing,  and  bringing  with  them 
thole  who  were  to  be  facrificed,  decorated  with 
feathers  and  chalchiuites  on  their  wrifts  and  ankles, 
and  with  firings  of  cacao  beans  around  their  necks, 
the  captains  themfelves  conducting  them  in  their 
midft.  The  pontiff"  and  priefts,  at  the  head  of  the 
people,  went  out  to  meet  the  victors,  with  mufic 
and  dancing;  and  when  they  encountered  them, 
the  captains  delivered  over  the  victims  to  be  facri 
ficed  to  the  high  prieft ;  after  which  all  went  to 
gether  to  the  court  of  their  teupa,  where  they 
kept  up  the  dancing  night  and  day,  for  the  periods 
above  named.  In  the  middle  of  this  court  was 
placed  a  block  or  bench  of  ftone,  on  which  the 
victim  was  ftretched,  the  four  priefts  holding  him 

10 


[  74  1 

quatro  facerdotes  facrificaban  las  orejas  i  narizes, 
i  por  ellas  fe  metian  unas  canas  largas  i  las  quema- 
ban  ante  fus  Idolos.  I  otras  vezes  facaban  fangre 
de  la  lengua  i  miembro,  i  pedian  a  fus  idolos  les 
dieren  fruftas  i  que  frudtificaren  todas  las  lemilas 
de  la  tierra.  El  papa  fe  facrificaba  la  lengua  i 
orejas,  i  miembro,  i  la  fangre  que  defta  falia  imtaba 
pies  i  manos  a  los  idolos,  e  invocaba  al  demonio  i 
hablaba  con  el,  i  les  decian  los  tiempos  que  habian 
de  fubceder  i  mandaba  a  aquellos  quatro  facerdotes, 
dijefen  al  pueblo  lo  que  el  idolo  le  habia  dicho,  i 
liempre  concluian  efta  platica  con  mandalles  que  tu- 
biefen  comunicacion  con  fus  mugeres,  i  de  alii  fue- 
fen  a  fembrar ;  i  efto  hera  el  facrificio  de  femillas. 
Lo  que  hazian  en  los  facrificios  de  la  pefca  i  caza 
hera  que  tomaban  un  venado  vivo,  i  llevabanlo  al 
patio  del  cue  e  eglefia  que  tenian  fuera  del  pueblo,  i  lo 
aogaban  i  lo  detollaban,  i  le  falvaban  toda  la  fangre 
en  una  olla,  i  el  higado,  i  bofes,  i  buches  lo  ha 
zian  pedazos  muy  menudos,  i  el  corazon,  cabeza,  i 
pies ;  apartaban  i  mandaban  cozer  el  venado  por 
fi,  i  la  fangre  por  (i,  i  mientras  efto  fe  cozia  hacian 
fu  bayle.  Tomaban  el  Papa  i  fabio  la  cabeza  del 
venado  por  las  orejas,  i  los  quatro  facerdotes  los 
quatro  pies,  i  el  mayordomo  en  un  brafero  llevaba 
el  corazon  le  quemavan  con  ule  i  copal,  e  infenfaba 
al  idolo  que  tenian  puefto  i  fenalado  para  la  caza  i 
pefca.  Acabado  el  mitote  ofrecian  la  cabeza  i  pies 
al  idolo  i  chamufcabanla,  i  defpues  de  chamufcado 
la  llevaban  a  cafa  del  papa  i  fe  la  comia,  i  el  venado 


[  75  ] 

by  the  feet  and  hands.  The  facrificer  then  came 
forward,  loaded  with  plumes  and  bells,  with  a 
knife  of  flint,  with  which  he  opened  the  breaft  of 
the  victim,  and  took  out  his  heart,  and  tofled  it  in 
the  air  in  the  direction  of  the  four  cardinal  points, 
and  finally  threw  it  aloft  directly  in  the  middle  of 
the  court,  in  this  way  foliciting  the  divinity  to  ac 
cept  the  facrifice,  in  return  for  the  victory.  This 
facrifice  was  public  to  all  the  Indians,  great  and 
fmall. 

During  this  period,  the  foldiers  returning  from 
the  war,  could  not  cohabit  with  their  wives,  but 
were  obliged  to  fleep  in  certain  calpules  or  barracks, 
which  were  given  up  to  them  for  the  occafion,  by 
the  young  men  who  were  learning  the  art  of 
war.  (26)  During  the  day  they  went  to  the  houfes 
of  their  women  to  eat  and  drink,  and  from  thence 
to  their  plantations,  always  however  leaving  a  com 
pany  to  guard  the  town.  The  men  facrified  blood 
drawn  from  their  private  parts,  and  he  who  had 
moft  wounds  in  thefe  was  reputed  to  be  moft  va 
liant.  The  women  facrificed  blood  drawn  from 
their  tongues  and  ears,  and  they  sacrified  their  en 
tire  bodies,  taking  up  the  blood  with  cotton  and 
offering  it  to  their  idols — the  men  to  O^uetzalcoatl, 
and  the  women  to  Itzqueye. 

Their  fuperftitious  ceremonies,  at  the  time  of 
planting  their  fields,  were  as  follows :  They  put 
in  little  cups  of  calabafh  the  feeds  which  they  had 
felected  for  the  purpofe,  and  placed  them  before 


[  76  ] 

i  fangre  comian  delante  del  idolo,  u  otro  qualquier 
animal  que  facrificafen,  i  a  los  pefcados  lo  facaban 
las  tripas  i  lo  quemaban  ante  el  dicho  idolo ;  lo 
propio  hera  en  los  demas  animales. 

Lo  que  ufaban  quando  parian  las  mugeres,  que 
llamado  a  la  partera  la  prenada  no  podia  parir, 
luego  le  hazian  dezir  fus  pecados  i  li  no  paria,  hazia 
que  fe  confelafe  el  marido,  i  fi  no  podia  con  eflo, 
fi  havia  dicho  i  confefado  que  conofia  alguno,  ivan 
a  cafa  de  aquel  i  traian  de  fu  cafa  la  manta  e  pane- 
tes  i  ceinola  a  la  prenada  paraque  pariefe ;  i  fi  no 
baftara,  el  marido  facrificara  las  orejas  i  lengua. 
Quando  la  criatura  nacia,  fi  era  hombre  le  ponian 
un  arco  i  flechas  en  la  mano,  i  li  era  muger  un  ufo 
i  algodon,  i  la  partera  le  hacia  en  el  pie  derecho  una 
raya  con  tizne  fignificava,  efta  raya  que  quando 
fuefe  grande  no  fe  perdiefen  por  los  montes.  Pa- 
fando  doze  dias  llevaban  la  criatura  al  facerdote,  i 
aquel  que  la  llebava  le  cortarban  ramos  verdes  en 
que  pifafe ;  i  llegado  ante  el  facerdote  le  ponia  el 
nombre  de  fus  aguelos  6  aguelas,  i  le  ofrecian  cacao 
6  gallinas,  i  eftas  eran  las  ofrendas  de  las  facerdotes. 
Llegados  a  cafa  con  la  criatura  la  partera  tomaba  a 
la  recienparida  i  la  llebava  a  lavar  al  rio,  i  ofrecia  al 
agua  cacao  i  copal,  i  efto  hacian  porque  el  agua 
no  le  hiciefe  mal. 

Los  ridtos  de  fus  difunclos  eran  que  fi  fallecia  el 
Ca£ique  6  algun  Capitan  6  Senor,  6  hijo,  6  muger 
deftos,  los  llorava  todo  el  pueblo  quatro  dias  i  qua- 
tro  noches ;  a  la  quarta  noche  quando  amanecia 


[  77  ] 

the  altar  of  their  idols.  They  next  dug  a  trench 
in  the  ground,  in  which  they  planted  the  feeds 
regularly,  covering  them  with  earth ;  and  over  all 
they  placed  a  large  brazier,  full  of  burning  coals, 
on  which  they  fprinkled  copal  and  caoutchouc. 
The  four  priefts  then  drew  blood  from  their  ears 
and  nofe,  receiving  it  in  certain  large  reeds,  which 
they  burnt  before  their  idols.  At  other  times  they 
drew  blood  from  their  tongues  and  private  mem 
bers,  and  petitioned  their  gods  to  profper  the  fruits 
of  the  earth,  and  give  them  abundant  harvefts. 
The  high  prieft,  in  facrificing,  drew  blood  from  the 
fame  parts,  and  with  it  anointed  the  feet  and  hands 
of  the  idols,  invoking  the  demon,  who  fpoke  with 
him,  and  told  him  what  kind  of  weather  would 
follow,  all  of  which  was  communicated  to  the 
people  by  the  four  priefts,  who  always  concluded 
by  ordering  the  men  to  have  connection  with  their 
wives,  and  then  proceed  to  plant  their  fields.  And 
fuch  was  the  facrifice  of  planting. 

We  came  now  to  their  facrifices  for  hunting  and 
fiming.  They  took  a  living  deer  to  the  courtyard 
of  the  cue  or  temple  which  they  had  outfide  of  the 
town,  where,  they  ftrangled  and  fkinned  him,  col 
lecting  all  his  blood  in  a  vafe,  and  cutting  in  fmall 
pieces  the  liver,  lungs  and  ftomach.  Thefe  were 
put  afide,  with  the  heart,  head,  and  feet.  They 
next  cut  up  and  cooked  the  deer  by  ittelf,  and  the 
blood  by  itfelf,  and  while  thefe  were  cooking  they 
had  their  dances.  Next  the  high  prieft  and  his 


falia  el  papa  i  decia  que  el  anima  de  aquel  Ca9ique 
eftava  con  los  Diofes  i  que  no  llorafen  mas  ;  eftos  to- 
dos  fe  enterravan  en  fus  propias  cafas,  afentados  i 
veftidos  con  todos  fus  bienes,  i  aquellas  quatro  no- 
ches  y  dias  fu  llorar  era  como  a  manera  de  mitote, 
cantavan  fus  hazanas  i  linajes.  Si  era  cazique  luego 
otro  dia  el  papa  i  todos  los  demas  del  pueblo  toma- 
van  por  Senor  al  hijo  6  hija  fi  los  tenia,  i  fi  no,  al 
hermano  6  pariente  mas  cercano.  I  a  la  eleccion 
defte  fe  hacian  grandes  fieftas  i  bailes  i  facrificios,  i 
el  dava  de  comer  a  todos  los  capitanes  i  facerdotes 
en  fu  cafa.  Si  el  difunto  no  era  de  principal,  folo 
fus  parientes  le  lloravan  i  fus  hijos ;  i  fi  alguna  mu- 
ger  fe  le  moria  la  criatura,  guardava  la  leche  qua 
tro  dias  que  no  la  dava  a  ninguna  otra  criatura, 
porque  tenian  por  agiiero  que  el  difunto  le  havia 
algun  dano  6  mal ;  efte  facrificio  fe  llamava  navi- 
tia. 

El  cazique  era  fu  oficio  de  mandar  fembrar  i 
cafar  a  los  Indies,  i  fiempre  los  cafavan  con  mu- 
chachas,  i  quando  eftavan  concertados,  fi  acafo  el 
yerno  encontrava  al  fuegro,  torcia  el  camino,  lo 
propio  hacia  la  nuera  a  la  fuegra;  i  hacian  efto 
porque  el  diablo  les  decia  que  no  havrian  hijos  fi  fe 
topavan  con  los  fuegros.  El  cafamiento  i  boda  fe 
hacia  en  efla  manera ;  que  los  parientes  de  la  no- 
via  ivan  por  el  novio,  i  lo  llebavan  al  rio  a  lavar ;  i 
las  parientas  del  novio  ivan  por  la  novia  i  lavados 
en  el  rio ;  ambos  los  enbolvian  cada  qual  en  fu 
manta  blanca  nueva,  i  los  llebavan  a  la  cafa  de  la 


[  79  ] 

affiftant  took  the  head  by  the  ears,  and  each  of  the 
four  priefts  one  of  the  feet,  and  the  mayordomo 
put  the  heart  in  a  brafier  and  burned  it,  with  copal 
and  caoutchouc,  as  incenfe  to  the  idol  of  the  god 
who  was  held  to  be  protedtor  of  hunting  and  nth- 
ing.  When  the  dance  was  finished,  the  head  and 
feet  were  fcorched  in  the  fire  before  the  idol,  as  an 
offering,  and  afterwards  taken  to  the  houfe  of  the 
high-prieft  and  eaten.  The  flefh  and  blood  were 
then  eaten  before  the  idol ;  and  the  fame  was  done 
with  all  the  animals  which  they  offered  in  facrifice. 
When  they  facrificed  fifh,  the  entrails  were  burnt 
before  the  idol.  (*7) 

When  a  woman  was  in  travail,  the  midwives 
made  her  confess  her  fins ;  but  if  this  was  not  fuf- 
ficient  to  haften  the  birth,  they  made  her  hufband 
do  the  fame ;  and  finally,  if  the  woman  admitted 
illicit  connection  with  any  other  man,  they  went 
to  his  houfe  and  took  his  clothes  and  placed  them 
beneath  her ;  if  this  failed,  as  a  laft  refort,  the 
hufband  facrificed  blood  from  his  tongue  and  ears. 
When  the  child  was  born,  if  a  boy,  they  put  in 
his  hands  a  bow  and  arrows ;  if  a  girl,  a  fpindle  of 
cotton  ;  and  the  mother  made  a  ftreak  of  foot  mixed 
with  water  on  the  right  foot  of  the  child,  which 
they  believed  would  prevent  it,  when  grown  up, 
from  being  loft  in  the  woods.  At  the  end  of 
twelve  days,  the  child  was  taken  to  the  prieft, 
green  branches  being  fcattered  under  the  feet  of  the 
bearers.  The  prieft  gave  it  the  name  of  its  grand- 


[  8°  1 

novia,  i  los  ataban  juntos  en  las  dos  mantas  anuda- 
das  defnudos  en  cueros ;  i  los  parientes  del  novio 
davan  prefentes  a  la  novia,  jicoles,  mantas,  algodon, 
gallinas,  cacao,  i  los  parientes  de  la  novia  lo  mefmo 
al  novio;  i  luego  comian  todos  juntos,  i  a  eftos 
cafamientos  fe  hallavan  el  cazique  i  papa  de  neceli- 
dad. 

En  lo  que  tocava  al  parentefco,  tenian  un  arbol 
pintado,  i  en  el  fiete  ramos  que  fignifacava  fiete 
grades  de  parentefco.  En  eftos  grades  no  fe  podia 
cafar  nadie,  i  efto  fe  entendia  por  linea  recta  fi  no 
fuefe  que  alguno  huviefe  fecho  algun  gran  fecho  en 
armas,  i  havia  de  fer  del  tercero  grado  fuera ;  i  por 
linea  traverfa  tenia  otro  arbol  con  quatro  ramos  que 
fignificaban  el  quarto  grado,  en  eftos  no  fe  podia 
cafar  nadie. 

Fuera  de  otras  leyes  que  los  Indies  tenian  en 
toda  efta  provincia,  tenian  los  defta  nacion  por  in~ 
violables  las  figuientes : 

Qualquiera  que  menofpreciava  los  facrificios  de 
fus  Idolos  6  rictos,  moria  por  ello. 

Qualquiera  que  fe  echava  con  muger  ajena  mo 
ria  por  ello. 

Qualquiera  que  tenia  quenta  carnal  con  parienta 
en  los  grades  fufodichos  morian  por  ello  ambos. 

Qualquiera  que  hablara  con  qualquiera  muger  6 
le  hacia  fenas  li  era  cafada,  le  defterravan  de  fu 
pueblo  i  la  quitavan  fus  bienes. 

Qualquiera  que  fe  echava  con  efclava  ajena  le 
hacian  efclavo,  fino  fuefe  que  la  tal  perfona  le  per  - 


[  8'   ] 

father  or  grandmother,  as  the  cafe  might  be,  and 
they  prefented  it  with  cacao  and  fowls,  which  were 
the  offerings  made  to  the  prieft.  When  it  was 
taken  back  to  the  houfe,  the  mother  carried  it  to  a 
river  and  bathed  it,  offering  to  the  ftream  cacao 
and  copal,  that  it  mould  never  do  evil  to  the 


As  regards  the  rites  for  the  dead  ;  if  the  defuncl: 
were  a  cazique  or  captain,  or  the  wife  or  child  of 
either,  all  the  people  mourned  for  four  days  and 
nights.  At  the  rifing  of  the  fun  on  the  fifth  day, 
the  high  prieft  announced  that  the  foul  of  the 
dead  was  with  the  gods,  and  that  it  was  ufelefs  to 
mourn  any  longer.  They  buried  the  dead  man 
dreffed  in  all  of  his  riches,  in  a  fitting  pofture,  and  in 
his  own  houfe.  (28)  Their  manner  of  mourning 
during  the  four  days  and  nights  refembled  a  mitote, 
in  which  they  chaunted  the  lineage  and  deeds  of 
the  dead.  If  he  were  a  cazique  who  died,  the 
high  prieft  and  all  the  people,  immediately  recog 
nized  as  his  fucceffor  his  ion  or  daughter;  or,  if  he 
had  neither,  his  brother  or  neareft  relative.  On 
fuch  occafions  they  had  great  feafts,  dances  and 
iacrifices,  and  the  new  chief  entertained  in  his 
houfe  all  the  priefts  and  captains.  If  a  common 
man  died,  only  his  children  and  relatives  mourned; 
and  if  a  woman  loft  her  child,  me  referved  her 
milk  for  four  days,  without  giving  it  to  another; 
for  they  believed,  if  (he  failed  in  this,  the  dead 
child  would  do  the  living  one  fome  injury.  This 
lacrifice  they  called  navitia. 

1  1 


[  82  ] 

donafe  el  papa  por  fervicios  que  huviefe  fecho  en  la 
guerra. 

Qualquiera  que  hurtava  hurto,  como  fuefe  grave, 
moria  por  ello. 

Qualquiera  que  forzava  dor^ella  le  facrificavan 
por  ello. 

Qualquiera  que  mentia  lo  azotavan  bravamente, 
i  fi  era  en  cofa  de  guerra  le  hacian  efclavo  por 
ello. 

Lof  que  no  eran  para  la  guerra,  cultivaban  las 
tierras  millpas  del  cazique  i  papa  i  facerdotes,  i  de 
las  propias  fuyas  davan  un  tanto  para  la  gente  de 
guerra.  Efto  es  lo  que  he  alcanzado  defte  pue 
blo. 

En  el  dicho  lugar  efta  una  pena  de  donde  falen 
dos  ojos  de  agua  carl  juntos ;  el  uno  muy  caliente  i 
el  otro  frio. 

Hay  en  el  muchas  efpecias  que  los  Indios  ufan 
para  fu  bebidas  i  comidas ;  e  una  tierra  que  parece 
caparofa,  que  lo  deve  de  fer  fegun  el  efecto  hace, 
con  que  fe  hace  tinta.  En  toda  efta  provincia,  del 
comienza  la  provincia  i  correximiento  del  pueblo 
de  Chiquimula  de  la  Sierra,  es  la  mas  del  tierra  alta 
i  de  buen  temple  i  paftos,  i  fertil  para  labranzas  i 
crianzas  de  todo  jenero  de  mantemientos  i  ga- 
nado. 

Acia  la  parte  que  defte  lugar  van  a  Gracias  a 
Dios  en  Honduras  fon  Indios  Chontales.  Ave- 
rigiie  eftando  alii  un  delito  contra  un  cacique  del 
lugar  de  Gotera,  el  qual  defde  fu  gentilidad  tenia 


[  83  ] 

It  was  the  office  of  the  cazique  to  order  the 
plantings,  and  diredt  the  marriages.  They  always 
married  when  young ;  and  when  the  affair  was 
arranged,  and  the  affianced  groom  met  his  future 
father-in-law  he  turned  afide,  as  alfo  did  the  affian 
ced  bride  when  me  met  her  future  mother-in-law. 
They  did  this,  becaufe  the  devil  had  made  them  be 
lieve  that  fuch  encounters  would  prevent  their  having 
children.  Marriages  were  celebrated  in  this  wife  : 
the  male  relatives  of  the  woman  fought  the  bride 
groom  and  made  him  bathe  in  a  river;  and  the 
female  relatives  of  the  woman  did  the  fame  with 
the  bride ;  they  then  wrapped  each  of  them  in  a 
new,  white  cloth,  and  took  them  to  the  houfe  of 
the  bride,  where  they  tied  them  up  naked,  in  their 
garments.  The  relatives  of  the  young  man  then 
made  prefents  to  the  bride  of  cloths,  cottons,  fowls 
and  cacao,  while  thofe  of  the  bride  gave  prefents 
of  the  fame  kind  to  the  bridegroom  ;  after  which 
they  all  feafted  together.  At  thefe  marriages  the 
high  prieft  and  cazique  were  obliged  to  be  pre- 
fent.  (29) 

Concerning  relationmip :  They  have  a  tree 
painted,  with  feven  branches,  which  reprefent  the 
ieven  degrees  of  relationmip  in  dire<ft  defcent, 
within  which  no  perfon  might  marry,  excepting 
thofe  who  had  diftinguifhed  themfelves  in  war,  but 
even  thefe  might  not  marry  within  three  degrees  of 
blood.  In  refpedl:  of  the  line  collateral,  they  made 
ufe  of  another  tree  with  four  branches,  which 


1 84  ] 

el  miembro  hendido  i  abierto,  que  era  una  de  las 
gentilidades  ufavan  antiguamente  los  mas  valientes. 
En  aquel  afio  de  1563,  en  otro  lugar  cercano  que  fe 
llama  Cezori  ciertos  Indies  idolatraron  en  un  monte 
en  fus  terminos,  i  entre  ellos  que  uno  fe  harpo  i 
hendio  fu  miembro,  i  que  circuncidaron  quatro 
muchachos  de  doze  anos  para  arriba  al  uf'o  judaico, 
i  la  fangre  que  falio  dellos  la  facrificaron  a  un  idolo 
de  piedra  redondo,  llamado  Icelaca,  con  dos  caras 
atras  i  adelante,  i  con  muchos  ojos.  Decian  que 
efte  era  el  Dios  que  fabia  lo  prefente  i  lo  pafado,  i 
via  todas  las  cofas.  Tenia  untadas  ambas  caras  i 
ojos  con  fangre,  i  facrificaronle  venados,  gallinas, 
conejos,  aji,  chian,  otras  cofas  que  ellos  ufavan  an 
tiguamente. 

Cerca  del  dicho  lugar  eftava  un  cerro  alto  en  la 
prefpeftiva,  parece  fabrepuja  a  todas  las  alturas 
comarcanas,  i  tiene  en  fu  alto  una  laguna  de  agua 
dulce,  grande  de  mucha  hondura,  fin  que  parezca 
de  donde  puede  tener  vertiente  6  nacer  tanta  agua ; 
cierto  que  mirada  la  fituacion  de  toda  la  tierra, 
parece  que  alii  es  lo  mas  alto  dellos,  e  que  6  la  la 
guna  es  milagrofa,  6  tiene  algun  venero  que  las 
Hondas  eftranas  de  la  tierra  que  produce  i  fuftenta 
de  ordinario  tan  gran  pielago  de  agua,  i  aun  ver 
tiente  grande  que  de  ella  fale  fiempre.  Crianfe 
alii  muchas  dantas  mas  que  en  otra  parte  de  aquella 
tierra,  fuelenfe  matar  algunas  aunque  la  carne  no  es 
muy  buena  de  comer  porque  es  vifcofa ;  tienen  dos 
buches,  en  el  uno  hechan  el  pafto  ordinario,  i  el 


[  85  ] 

reprefented  the  four  degrees  within   which  no  one 
could  marry. 

Afide  from  other  laws  which  thefe  Indians  pof- 
fefled  in  common  throughout  the  province,  thofe 
of  this  nation  have  the  following  as  inviolable : 

Whoever  contemned  or  ridiculed  the  facrifices  to 
the  idols,  or  the  ceremonies  connected  therewith, 
was  condemned  to  death. 

Whoever  had  connection  with  a  ftrange  woman, 
was  condemned  to  death. 

Thofe  who  had  carnal  intercourfe  with  relatives, 
within  the  degrees  above  profcribed,  both  fuffered 
death. 

He  who  fpoke  libidinoufly  with  a  married 
woman,  or  who  made  improper  ligns  to  her,  was 
banifhed  and  his  property  confifcated. 

Whoever  had  commerce  with  a  ftrange  Have 
[one  not  his  own  ?J  was  himfelf  reduced  to  flavery, 
unlefs  pardoned  by  the  high  priefl  for  fervices  in  war. 

Whoever  wounded  another,  if  the  wound  were 
ferious,  fuffered  death  therefor. 

Whoever  violated  a  virgin  was  facrificed. 

Whoever  lied  was  feverely  whipped ;  and  if  it 
were  in  any  matter  concerning  war,  he  was  enflaved. 

Thofe  of  the  people  who  were  not  foldiers  cul 
tivated  the  plantations  of  the  cazique,  pontiff  and 
priefts ;  and  alfo  gave  a  part  of  their  own  crops  for 
the  fupport  of  the  warriors. 

This  is  what  I  have  been  able  to  gather  con 
cerning  the  manners  and  cuftom  of  this  people. 


[  86  ] 

otro  trae  fiempre  lleno  de  palos  i  madera  podrida; 
no  fe  que  fea  de  algun  efefto,  mas  es  de  creer  que 
no  fe  lo  dilo  naturaleza  de  valde. 

En  la  provincia  dicha  efte  un  lugarejo  encom- 
endado  en  un  Geronimo  Italiano ;  fucedio  alii  el 
ano/de  1764,  que  canfadoslos  Indies  i  enfadados  de 
una  larga  enfermedad  que  havia  tenido  fu  cazique, 
de  acuerdo  i  juntos  fueron  a  fu  cafa  i  le  dixefon 
que  fegun  fu  enfermidad  havia  fido  larga,  eftavan 
canfados  de  ferville,  i  que  pues  ya  no  era  de  prove- 
cho,  ni  los  podia  governar  fe  muriefe  i  acavafe  de 
dalles  mas  pefadumbre ;  el  cazique  enfermo  les 
refpondio  que  tenian  razon,  i  pues  anfi  era  que  el  fe 
queria  morir  que  lo  enterraran  ;  i  ellos  oida  fu  deter- 
minacion  lo  amortajaron  vivo  i  tocaron  a  muerto  i 
lo  llevaron  a  enterrar,  occurrieron  a  la  iglefia  los 
mas  del  lugar  i  entre  ellos  la  muger  del  encomen- 
dero,  i  admirada  que  eftando  el  dicho  cazique  poco 
antes  con  mediana  difpoficion  fe  huviere  muerto 
tan  prefto,  fe  llego  a  el  e  dijo  a  las  Indies  que  no  le 
enterraren  que  podria  fer  algun  defmayo,  i  como 
tentando  le  vio  que  eftava  caliente,  quitole  el  velo 
del  roftro  i  viole  vivo,  i  ella  rinendo  a  los  que  lo 
llevaban  a  enterrar,  le  quito  de  alii  i  llevo  a  fu  cafa  i 
vivio  defpues  mas  de  quatro  mefes,  e  para  defeno 
jalla  le  decia  el  cazique  i  los  vecinos  que  peor  hu- 
viera  fido  fi  lo  mataran.  Efta  muger  del  dicho  en- 
comendero  por  el  afio  de  64  fe  hizo  prefiada  e 
malpario  cinco  hijos  de  una  vez,  de  cinco  mefes  i 
todos  vivos. 


[  87  ] 

Near  this  place,  is  a  high  rocky  hill  from  which 
flow  two  ftreams  of  water,  clofe  to  each  other, 
one  hot  and  the  other  cold.  Here  too  is  found  an 
abundance  of  fpices,  which  the  Indians  ufe  in  their 
drink  and  food ;  and  an  earth  which  refembles 
copperas,  and  which  it  muft  be  judging  from  its 
effects.  With  this  they  make  a  dye. 

From  here  to  the  borders  of  the  province  of 
Chiquimula  de  la  Sierra,  the  country  is  for  the 
moft  part  high,  of  good  temperature,  abounding  in 
pafturage,  and  adapted  for  the  fupport  of  cattle, 
and  the  cultivation  of  all  kinds  of  grains. 

In  the  portion  of  this  province  which  lies  in  the 
direction  of  Gracias  a  Dios  in  Honduras,  are  the 
Chontal  Indians.  While  there,  complaint  was 
made  to  me  againft  a  cazique  of  a  place  called 
Gotera,  who  iince  the  time  of  his  paganifm  had 
had  his  private  member  fplit  open,  as  was  the 
cuftom  anciently,  among  the  moft  valiant.  In 
1563,  certain  idolatrous  Indians  of  another  village 
called  Cezori,  got  together  in  a  neighboring  foreft 
where  one  of  them  performed  the  fame  operation ; 
and  afterwards  they  circumcifed  four  boys  of  twelve 
years  of  age,  in  the  Jewifh  manner,  offering  the 
blood  to  an  idol  of  ftone  of  a  cylindrical  form, 
with  a  double  vifage  and  many  eyes,  called  Icelaca. 
They  fay  that  he  is  the  God  which  knows  the 
prefent  and  the  paft,  and  fees  all  things.  Both  his 
faces  were  anointed  with  blood,  and  they  facrificed 
to  him  deer,  fowls,  rabbits,  peppers,  and  other  things 
which  they  ufed  in  ancient  times. 


[  88  ] 

Ruinas  de  Copan. 

Cerca  del  dicho  lugar  como  van  a  la  ciudad  de 
San  Pedro,  en  el  primer  lugar  de  la  provincia  de 
Honduras,  que  fe  llama  Copan,  eftan  unas  ruinas  i 
veftijios  de  gran  poblacion  i  de  fobervios  edificios,  i 
tales  que  parece  que  en  ningun  tiempo  pudo  haver, 
en  tan  barbaro  injenio  como  tienen  los  naturales  de 
aquella  provincia,  edificio  de  tanta  arte  i  funtuoii- 
dad ;  es  ribera  de  un  hermofo  rio,  i  en  unos  cam- 
pos  bien  fituados  i  eftendidos,  tierra  de  mediano 
temple,  harta  de  fertilidad,  e  de  mucha  caza  e 
pefca. 

En  las  ruinas  dichas,  hai  montes  que  parecen 
haver  fido  fechos  a  manos,  i  en  ellos  muchas  cofas 
de  notar.  Antes  de  llegar  a  ellos,  efta  ferial  de 
paredes  gruefas  i  una  piedra  grandifima  en  figura 
de  aguila,  i  fecho  en  fu  pecho  un  quadro  de  largo 
de  una  vara,  i  en  el  ciertas  letras  que  no  fe  fabe 
que  fea. 

Llegados  a  las  ruinas,  efta  otra  piedra  en  figura 
de  gigante ;  dicen  los  Indios  antiguas  que  era  la 
guarda  de  aquel  Santuario  ;  entrando  en  el  fe  hallo 
una  cruz  de  piedra  de  tres  palmos  de  alto,  con  un 
brazo  quebrado. 

Mas  adelante  van  ciertas  ruinas  i  algunas  piedras 
en  ellas  labradas  con  harto  primor ;  i  efta  una  efta- 
tua  grande  de  mas  que  quatro  varas  de  alto,  la- 
brada  como  un  obifpo  veftido  de  pontifical,  con  fu 
mitro  bien  labrada  i  anillos  en  las  manos.  Junto  a 


From  here,  in  the  diftance,  is  feen  a  very  high 
mountain,  which  feems  to  rife  above  all  the 
others.  It  has  at  its  top  a  lake  of  fweet  water, 
very  deep.  It  is  difficult  to  conceive  whence 
the  water  comes,  fince  the  mountain  appears  to 
overlook  all  the  land,  and  to  be  the  higheft  in  it; 
and  it  is  a  queftion  whether  the  lake  is  miraculous, 
or  has  fome  fource  within  its  depths  in  the  earth 
which  fupplies  it  with  fo  much  water  that  a  ftream 
flows  from  it  conftantly.  There  are  produced 
here  many  tapirs,  more  than  in  any  other  part  of 
the  country.  The  Indians  fometimes  kill  them, 
but  their  flem  is  not  very  good  for  food.  This 
animal  has  two  ftomachs ;  in  one  is  found  the  or 
dinary  grafs  which  he  eats,  but  the  other  is  always 
full  of  branches  of  trees  and  fine  pieces  of  wood. 
I  know  not  what  may  be  the  ufe  of  this,  but  it 
may  well  be  believed  that  nature  has  not  given  it 
without  a  purpofe. 

In  the  faid  province  there  is  a  fmall  place,  which 
is  afligned  to  one  Geronimo  Italiano,  and  here  it 
happened,  in  the  year  1574,  that  the  Indians 
wearied  and  irritated  by  the  long  illnefs  of  their 
cazique,  went  in  a  body  to  his  houfe,  and  informed 
him  that  his  long  infirmity  had  made  them  tired 
of  ferving  and  iupporting  him,  and  that  being  him- 
felf  unable  to  do  any  good  or  to  govern  them,  he 
had  better  die,  and  thus  relieve  them  from  further 
trouble.  The  chief  replied  that  they  had  caufe  for 
what  they  faid,  and  that  he  was  willing  to  die  at 

12 


1 90 1 

ella  efta  una  plaza  muy  bien  fecha  con  fus  grades  a 
la  forma  que  efcriben  del  Colifeo  Romano,  i  por 
algunas  partes  tiene  ochenta  gradas,  enlofada  i  la- 
brada  por  cierto  en  partes  de  mui  buena  piedra  e 
con  harto  primor ;  ella  en  ella  feis  eftatuas  grandi- 
limas,  las  tres  de  hombres  armados  a  lo  mofaico 
con  ligagambas,  e  fembradas  muchas  labores  por 
las  armas,  i  las  otras  dos  de  mugeres  con  buen 
ropaje  largo  i  tocaduras  a  lo  Romano;  la  otra  es 
de  obifpo  que  parece  tener  en  las  manos  un  bulto 
como  cofrecito.  Devian  de  fer  idolos,  porque  de- 
lante  de  cada  una  dellas  havia  una  piedra  grande 
que  tenia  fecha  una  pileta  con  fu  fumidero  donde 
degollavan  los  facrificados  i  corria  la  fangre ;  tam- 
bien  tenian  fendas  cazolejas  do  facrificavan  con  fus 
fahumerios,  i  en  medio  de  la  plaza  havia  otro  pila 
mayor  que  parece  de  bautizar,  donde  aniimefmo 
devian  de  hazer  en  comun  fus  facrifkios.  Pafada 
efta  plaza  fe  fube  por  muchas  gradas  a  un  promon- 
torio  alto  que  devia  de  fer  donde  hacian  fus  mitotes 
\  riclos ;  parece  me  fecho  i  labrado  con  mucha 
curiofidad,  porque  aun  fiempre  fe  hallan  alii  pie- 
dras  muy  bien  labradas.  A  un  lado  defte  edificio 
parece  una  torre  6  terrapleno  alto  que  cae  fobre  el 
rio,  que  por  alii  pafa ;  hafe  caido  i  derrumbado  un 
gran  pedazo,  i  en  lo  caido  fe  defcubrieron  dos  cue- 
vas  debajo  del  dicho  edificio  muy  largas  i  angof- 
tas,  i  fechos  con  harta  curiofidad;  no  he  podido 
averiguar  de  que  fervian  e  para  que  fe  hicieron  ; 
hay  una  efcalera  que  baja  hafta  el  rio  por  muchas 


once,  if  they  would  bury  him.  He  then  fainted 
away  or  feemed  to  die,  and  taking  him  for  dead, 
they  carried  him  off  for  burial.  Moft  of  the  peo 
ple  of  the  place  gathered  at  the  funeral,  and  among 
them  the  wife  of  Geronimo,  who  wondered  how 
it  was  that  the  chief,  who  was  before  only  a  little 
indifpofed,  mould  be  dead  fo  foon.  She  accordingly 
told  the  Indians  that  they  muft  not  bury  him,  as  he 
might  be  in  a  fwoon.  On  touching  the  body  me 
found  that  it  was  warm,  and  taking  off  the  covering 
from  his  face,  all  were  aftoniflied  to  find  that  the 
chief  was  alive.  Seeing  this,  they  took  him  back 
to  his  houle,  where  he  furvived  for  more  than  four 
months.  This  woman  became  pregnant  at  the 
age  of  64,  and  was  prematurely  delivered,  at  the 
end  of  five  months,  of  five  infants,  all  alive. 

Ruins  of  Copan. 

Near  here,  on  the  road  to  the  city  of  San  Pedro, 
in  the  firft  town  within  the  province  of  Honduras, 
called  Copan,  are  certain  ruins  and  veftiges  of  a 
great  population  and  of  fuperb  edifices,  of  fuch 
{kill,  that  it  appears  they  could  never  have  been 
built  by  a  people  as  rude  as  the  natives  of  that  pro 
vince.  They  are  found  on  the  banks  of  a  beautiful 
river,  in  an  extenfive  and  well  chofen  plain,  tem 
perate  in  climate,  fertile,  and  abounding  in  lim  and 
game. 

Among  the  ruins  are  trees  which  appear  to 
have  been  planted  by  the  hands  of  men,  as  well  as 


1 92  ] 

gradas.  Sin  lo  dicho  hay  muchas  cofas  que  de- 
mueftran  haver  havido  alii  gran  poder  i  concurfo  de 
hombres,  e  pulicia,  i  mediana  arte  en  la  obra  de 
aquellas  figuras  i  edificios.  He  procurado  con  el 
cuidado  polible  faber  por  la  memoria  derivada  de 
los  antiguos,  que  gente  vivio  alii  e  que  faben  e 
oyeron  de  fus  antepafados,  i  no  he  hallado  librosde  fus 
antigiiedades,  ni  creo  que  en  todo  efle  diflriclo  hay 
mas  que  uno,  que  yo  tengo ;  dicen  que  antigua- 
mente  havia  venido  alii  i  fecho  aquellos  edificios 
un  gran  fenor  de  la  provincia  de  Yucatan,  i  que  al 
cabo  de  algunos  anos  fe  bolvio  a  fu  tierra  e  lo  dejo 
folo  i  defpoblado,  i  efto  parece  que  de  las  patranas 
que  cuentan  es  la  mas  cierta,  porque  por  la  memo 
ria  dicha  parece  que  antiguamente  gente  de  Yuca 
tan  conquifto  i  fubjeto  las  provincias  de  Ayajal, 
Lacandon,  Verapaz,  i  la  tierra  de  Chiquimula,  i 
efta  de  Copan,  i  anfi  la  lengua  Apay  que  aqui  ha  • 
blan,  corre  i  fe  entiende  en  Yucatan  i  las  provin 
cias  dichas.  I  anfimefmo  parece  quel  arte  de  los 
dichos  edificios  es  como  lo  que  hallaron  en  otras 
los  Efpanoles  que  primeramente  defcubrieron  la  de 
Yucatan  e  Tabafco,  donde  huvo  figuras  de  obifpos, 
hombres  armados,  i  cruzes,  i  pues  en  ninguna  parte 
fe  ha  hallado  tal,  fi  no  es  en  los  lugares  dichos : 
parece  que  fe  puede  creer  que  fueron  de  una  nacion 
los  que  hicieron  lo  uno  i  lo  otro. 

De  los  lugares  dichos  me  volvi  a  Guatemala, 
porque  con  indifpoficiones  de  algunos  del  Audien- 
cia  me  neceflario  para  el  defpacho  de  los  negocios, 


t  93  J 

many  other  remarkable  things.  Before  reaching 
them,  we  find  remains  of  heavy  walls,  and  a  great 
eagle  in  ftone,  having  on  its  breaft  a  tablet  a  yard 
fquare,  covered  with  unknown  characters. 

Arriving  at  the  ruins,  we  find  another  ftone  in 
the  form  of  a  giant,  which  the  ancien.t  Indians  aver 
was  the  guardian  of  this  fanctuary.  Entering  the 
ruins  we  find  a  crofs  of  ftone,  three  palms  in  height, 
with  one  of  the  arms  broken  off.  (3°)  Further  on 
we  encounter  ruined  edifices,  and  among  them  a 
number  of  ftones  iculptured  with  much  {kill;  alfo 
a  great  ftatue  more  than  four,  yards  in  height, 
which  refembles  a  bifhop  in  his  pontifical  robes, 
with  a  well-wrought  mitre  on  his  head,  and  rings 
on  his  fingers.  Near  this,  is  a  well  built  plaza  or 
fquare,  with  fteps  or  grades,  which,  from  defcrip- 
tion,  refemble  thofe  of  the  Colifeum  at  Rome.  In 
fome  places  it  has  eighty  fteps,  paved,  and  made  in 
part  at  leaft  of  fine  ftones,  well- worked.  In  this 
jquare  are  fix  great  ftatues  ;  three  reprefenting  men 
with  armor  in  mofaic,  and  garters  around  their 
legs.  Their  arms  are  loaded  with  ornaments. 
Two  are  of  women,  with  long  robes,  and  with 
head  drefTes  in  the  Roman  ftyle.  The  remaining 
ftatue  is  of  a  bifhop,  who  holds  in  his  hands  a 
packet  relembling  a  box  or  fmall  trunk.  It  feems 
that  thefe  ftatues  were  idols,  for  in  front  of  each 
of  them  is  a  large  ftone,  in  which  is  carved  a  fmall 
refervoir,  with  its  groove,  in  which  the  blood  was 
collected  from  the  facrifices.  We  find  alfo  the 


[  94  ] 

i  anfi  fe  mando  lo  hiciefe,  pafe  por  lugares  bien 
frios  e  fragofos  donde  ay  los  mayores  i  mas  her- 
mofos  pinos  i  robles,  cedros,  ciprefes,  i  otros  mu- 
chos  arboles  que  ay  en  todas  eftas  provincias. 

Eftas  fon  las  cofas  que  en  el  difcurfo  de  la  vifita 
que  hize  por  orden  de  V.  M.  me  parecieron  dignas 
de  alguna  confideracion;  no  pongo  entreellasla  orden 
i  particularidades  de  fu  gentilidad  por  fer  fnuchas  i 
requerir  gran  efcriptura,  aunque  pudiera  por  tener 
hechas  memoria  de  las  mas  dellas,  fiempre  que  V. 
M.  me  ocupare  en  fu  fervicio  procurare  en  lo  ge 
neral  i  en  femejantes  efpecialidades  de  manera  que 
fe  entienda,  que  a  lo  menos  tengo  buen  defeo. 

Nueftro  Senor  la  C.  i  R.  perfona  de  V.  M. 
guarde  muchos  afios  con  augmento  de  mayores 
eftados  i  con  felicimos  fucefos !  Defta  Vueftra 
Ciudad  de  Guatemala,  a  8  de  Marzo  de  1570 
afios.  C.  R.  M.  humilde  i  leal  criado,  que  befa 
las  reales  manos  a  V.  M. 

EL  LICENCIADO  PALACIO. 


FIN 


[  95  ] 

little  altars  on  which  the  perfumes  were  burned 
before  them.  In  the  centre  of  the  fquare  is  a  large 
bafin  of  ftone,  which  appears  to  have  ferved  for 
baptifm ;  and  in  which  alfo,  facrifices  may  have 
been  made  in  common.  After  pafling  this  fquare, 
we  afcend  by  a  great  number  of  fteps  to  a  high 
place,  which  appears  to  have  been  devoted  to  mi- 
totes  and  other  ceremonies ;  it  feems  to  have  been 
conftrucTied  with  the  greateft  care,  for  throughout 
we  find  the  ftones  excellently  well-worked.  On 
one  fide  of  this  ftructure,  is  a  tower  or  terrace,  very 
high,  and  dominating  the  river  which  flows  at  its 
bafe.  Here  a  large  piece  of  the  wall  has  fallen, 
expofing  the  entrance  of  two  caves  or  paflages,  ex 
tending  under  the  ftruclure,  very  long  and  narrow, 
and  well  built.  I  was  not  able  to  difcover  for  what 
they  ferved,  or  why  they  were  conftrudted.  There 
is  here  a  grand  ftairway  defcending  by  a  great 
number  of  fteps,  to  the  river.  Befides  thefe  things, 
there  are  many  others  which  prove  that  here  was 
formerly  the  feat  of  a  great  power,  and  a  great 
population,  civilized,  and  confiderably  advanced  in 
the  arts,  as  is  mown  in  the  various  figures  and  build 
ings.  I  endeavored,  with  all  poflible  care,  to  af- 
certain  from  the  Indians,  through  the  traditions 
derived  from  the  ancients,  what  people  lived  here, 
and  what  they  knew  or  had  heard  from  their 
anceftors  concerning  them.  But  they  have  no 
books  relating  to  their  antiquities,  nor  do  I  believe 
that  in  all  this  diftricl:  there  is  more  than  one, 


[  96  ] 

which  I  poflefs.  They  fay  that  in  ancient  times 
there  came  from  Yucatan  a  great  lord,  who  built 
thefe  edifices,  but  at  the  end  of  fome  years  returned 
to  his  native  country,  leaving  them  entirely  d'e- 
ferted.  And  this  is  what  appears  moft  likely,  for 
tradition  fays  that  the  people  of  Yucatan  anciently 
conquered  the  provinces  of  Ayajal,  Lacandon,  Ve- 
rapaz,  Chiquimula  and  Copan ;  and  it  is  certain 
that  the  Apay  language  which  is  fpoken  here,  is 
current  and  understood  in  Yucatan  and  the  afore  - 
faid  provinces.  (3I)  It  appears  alfo,  that  thefe  edifices 
are  like  thofe  which  the  firft  Spaniards  difcovered 
in  Yucatan  and  Tobafco,  where  there  were  figures 
of  bimops,  and  of  armed  men,  as  well  as  of  crofles. 
And  as  fuch  things  are  found  nowhere,  except  in 
the  aforefaid  places,  it  may  well  be  believed,  that 
the  builders  of  all  were  of  the  fame  origin.  (3Z) 

From  the  aforefaid  places  I  returned  to  Guate 
mala,  becaufe  fome  of  the  members  of  the  Audien- 
cia  had  fallen  fick,  and  it  was  necefTary  for  the 
defpatch  of  bufinefs.  In  returning,  I  parTed  through 
places  cold  and  rough,  where  there  are  the  largeft 
and  moft  beautiful  pines  and  oaks,  cedars,  cyprefles, 
and  many  other  varieties  of  trees,  which  are  to  be 
found  in  all  thefe  provinces. 

Thefe  are  the  moft  remarkable  things  which  I 
difcovered  in  the  vifit  which  I  made,  under  Your 
Majefty's  orders.  I  have  not  recounted  all  that  I 
learned  of  the  Indians  during  the  time  of  their 
infidelity,  becaufe  it  would  make  volumes ;  but  I 


1 97] 

can  give  what  I  have  retained  in  my  memory,  if 
Your  Majefty  thinks  it  ufeful,  in  fuch  a  manner, 
at  leaft,  as  to  prove  my  good  will. 

May  Our  Lord  preferve  Your  Royal  and  Ca 
tholic  perfon  for  many  years,  with  augmentation 
of  dominion,  and  with  happy  deeds.  From  Your 
city  of  Guatemala,  March  8th,  1576.  Your 
Royal  Catholic  Majefty 's  humble  and  loyal  fervant, 

THE  LICENCIATE  PALACIO. 


-. 


ILLUSTRATIVE  NOTES. 


Ndte  1,  page  21. 

FUENTES,  and  after  him  Juarros  and  the  Biftiop  Pelaez,  de 
rive  this  name  from  the  Tzendal  words  Gubatez-mal-ba  fignify- 
ing  mountain  which  throws  out  water,  referring  to  the  Volcan  de 
Agua  or  Water  Volcano,  at  the  bafe  of  which  ftood  the  ancient 
city  of  Guatemala.     That  volcano,  however,  was  called  by  the  aborigines 
Hunaphu,  mountain  of  verdure  or  of  flowers,  and  does  not  feem  to  have 
been  called  Vokan  de  Agua  until  after  the  deftru&ion  of  the  old  city  of 
Guatemala,  by  a  flood  of  water  which  poured  down  its  fides  on  the 
night  of  the  nth  September,  1541.     Remefal,  on  the  other  hand,  af 
firms  that  the  word  fignifies,  "  lugar  donde  fe  echa  la  madera  ;"  while' 
Vafquez  writes  the  original  word  Quaubtemali,  "  the  fame  being  a  Mexi 
can  tranflation  of  the  Kachiquel  name  Iximcbe,   palo   podrido."     Ixim 
however,  is   the  Kachiquel  word  for  maize,   and  cbe  means   tree;  the 
tranflation  of  Iximche,   would  therefore  feem  to   be   maize-tree,  rather 
than  rotten-tree.     Juarros,  however,  fuggefts  with  great  plaufibility,  that 
the  name   was  derived  from  that  of  Juitemal,  the  firft  traditional  king  of 
Guatemala,  and  fupports  his  opinion  as  follows :     "  It  was  a  praftice  of 
the  native  inhabitants  to  call  kingdoms  and  towns  by  the  names  of  the 
monarchs  or  chiefs  who  governed   them.     Thus  the  natives  of  the 
kingdom  of  Utlatlan  were  called  Quiches  from  Nimaquiche,  who  led 
them  from  Tula  to  that  country ;  the  Kachiquels  from  the  kingdom  of 
Kachiqueleh  ;  the    Zutugils   from    Zutugilch.     In    like    manner,    the 
'  capital  of  Rabinaleb,  Ca9ique  of  Vera  Paz,  was  called  Rabinal.     And 
'  even  the   Spaniards  have   followed  the   fame  nomenclature,  by  giving 
"  the  name  Nicaragua  to  the  territory  of  the  Ca9'ique  Nicaragua,  and 
"  Nicoya  to  the  poflefllons  of  the  Ca£ique  Nicoya." — Hijioria  del  Reyno 
de  Guatemala,  cap.  xxxvi. 


Note  2,  page  21. 

THIS    language  of  Palacio    bears  a  ftrong  likenefs  to  that  ufed  by 
Cotton  Mather,  in  writing  of  the  Indians  of  New  England : 

"  The  natives  of  the  country  now  poflefled  by  the  New  Eng- 
landers,  had  been  forlorn  and  wretched  heathen  ever  fince  their  firft 
herding  here  ;  and  though  we  know  not  when  or  bow  thefe  Indians  firft 
became  inhabitants  of  this  mighty  continent,  yet  we  may  guefs  that  pro 
bably  the  devil  decoyed  thofe  miferable  falvages  hither,  in  hopes  that  the 
Gofpel  of  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  would  never  come  here  to  deftroy  his 
abfolute  empire  over  them.  But  our  Eliot  was  in  fuch  ill  terms  with  the 
devil,  as  to  alarm  him  with  founding  the  lilver  trumpets  of  heaven  in  his 
territories,  and  make  fome  noble  and  zealous  attempts  at  oufting  him  of 
his  ancient  pofleffions  here.  There  were,  I  think,  fome  twenty  nations, 
if  I  may  fo  call  them,  of  Indians  upon  that  fpot  of  ground  which  fell 
under  the  influence  of  our  then  united  colonies,  and  our  Eliot  was 
willing  to  refcue  as  many  of  them  as  he  could  from  that  old  ufurping 
landlord  of  America,  who  is  by  the  wrath  of  God,  the  prince  of  this 
world. — Magnalia  Cbrifti  Americana,  b.  iii ;  1702." 


Note  3,  page  21. 

IT  would  be  interefting  to  go  into  a  critical  analyfis  of  the  lift  of  lan 
guages  given  by  Palacio,  with  a  view  of  identifying  the  various  dialeds, 
and  determining  their  relations.     But  this  would  involve  a  wide  phi 
lological  difcuffion,  a  comparifon  of  vocabularies,  and  an  appeal  to  author 
ities  quite  beyond  the  fcope  of  an  illuftrative  note.     And  as  the  memoir 
of  Palacio,  after  all,  only  relates  to  the  diftrift  or  provinces  of  Guazaca- 
pan  and  Izalco,  and  their  immediate  neighborhood,  it  will  be  enough  to 
fix  the  relations  of  the  dialedts  which  were  fpoken  in  them,  and  which 
our  authority  declares  were  the  Popoluca,  Pipil,  and  Cbontal. 

The  Pipil,  it  may  be  obferved,  was  the  prevailing  language  of  the 
aborigines  from  the  river  Michatoyat  to  the  river  Lempa,  including  nearly 
the  whole  of  the  prefent  republic  of  San  Salvador,  and  was  nothing  more 
nor  less  than  a  dialed  of  the  Nahuatl  or  Mexican.  It  is  ftill  retained  in 
moft  of  the  Indian  towns,  in  the  diftrict  referred  to,  but  under  the  name 
of  Nabuatl.  The  defignation  Pipil  is  now  unknown,  nor  does  it  ap 
pear  that  it  was  ever  adopted  by  the  people  themfelves.  Etymalogically 
it  means  childifh,  undeveloped,  or  provincial ;  and  was  probably  applied 
by  the  Mexican  auxiliaires  in  the  armies  of  Alvarado  and  the  con- 


querors,  as  an  expreffion  of  contempt  for  a  dialed  which  did  not  come 
up  to  their  ftandard  of  metropolitan  purity.*  Vocabularies  which  I 
procured  from  the  Indians  of  this  diftrift,  in  1853,  (how  very  flight 
variations  from  the  Nabuatl  of  the  dictionaries — -hardly  greater  than 
would  be  made  by  different  perfons  in  writing  down  the  fame  words,  as 
they  might  be  founded  to  them  by  the  fame  individual.  The  principal 
variation  is  precifely  that  which  I  have  had  occafion  to  remark,  in  ano 
ther  connexion,  in  the  pronunciation  of  the  Nahuatls  of  Nicaragua ;  viz, 
the  general  omiffion  or  contraction  of  the  well-known  Mexican  prefix 
and  terminal  //  or  ///.  Thus  tlativez,  to  throw,  becomes  tativez,  and 
tlacatl,  man,  becomes  tacat.  (See  States  of  Central  America,  etc.,  p. 

338). 

In  the  diftridt  proper  of  the  Izalcos,  the  aborigines  were  undoubtedly 
wholly  Nabuatls  ;  but  further  to  the  weftward,  between  the  rivers  Paza 
(the  ancient  Pazaca  or  Aguachapa),  and  Michatoyat,  in  the  diftricl: 
called  by  Palacio  Guazacapan,  there  were  two  languages  fpoken — the 
native  or  Popoluca,  and  the  intruded  or  Pipil.  This  is,  in  faft,  diftindlly 
affirmed  by  Palacio  in  a  fubfequent  paragraph.  He  fays:  "  The  Mex- 
"  ican  language  is  current  among  them,  although  their  proper  tongue  is  the 
"  Popoluca"  There  is  abundant  evidence  that  the  people  of  this  diftrid 
were  not  Pipiles,  Nahuatls  or  Mexicans^  nor  yet  of  the  fame  flock  with 
the  Kacbiquels  and  their  affiliated  nations  to  the  northward  and  weftward. 
It  was  againft  them,  and  the  people  of'  Izalco  and  Cufcatlan,  that  Alva- 
rado  was  excited  to  make  war  by  the  Kachiquel  kings,  who  furnifhed 
him  with  a  large  body  of  native  auxiliaries  for  the  purpofe.  He  was 
three  days  in  paffing  the  belt  of  difputed  territory,  depopulated  and  de- 
folate,  which  intervened  between  the  Kachiquel  territories  and  thofe  of 
the  people  of  Guazacapan.  His  advance,  fays  Juarros,  was  flow,  becaufe 
"  there  was  no  intercourfe  between  the  provinces,  and  roads  were  un- 
"  known." 

Herrara,  in  defcribing  Guazacapan,  follows  the  ftatements  of  Palacio. 
He  fays,  "  The  natives  of  this  province  are  fubmiffive,  and  fpeak  the 
"  Mexican  tongue,  although  they  have  another  peculiar  to  themfelves. 
"  When  heathens  they  obferved  the  rites  of  the  Gbontals  of  Honduras." — 
Hift.  de  las  Indias  Occidentals,  dec.  iv,  lib.  viii,  cap.  viii. 


*  Bufchmmn  conceives  that  the  defignation  Pipil  is  a  reduplication  of  the  Nahuatl 
wjrd  pilli,  having  the  double  fignificance  of  child  and  nobleman,  like  the  German 
jonker.  A  late  traveller  in  Nicaragua,  Frorbel,  thinks  he  has  difcovered  the  fame 
word  in  pipe,  a  common  term  of  endearment  among  the  Indian  and  mixed  population 
of  that  country. 


[     102    J 

We  may  fairly  infer  from  this  and  other  tfl|nrriony,  that  the  diftricl: 
was  occupied  by  a  people,  probably  of  the  fame  family  with  the  nation 
or  group  of  nations  vaguely  denominated  Cbontah,  who  had  either  been 
brought  more  or  lels  under  fubjeftion  to  their  Nabuatl  neighbors,  and 
been  compelled  to  adopt  their  language,  or  who  had  gained  a  knowledge 
of  it,  and  affimilated  in  other  refpefts  with  them,  from  long  contadl  and 
aflbciation. 

The  name  of  their  peculiar  language,  according  to  the  direct  authority 
of  Palacio,  was  Popoluca  ;  and  its  relations,  fo  far  as  we  may  infer  from 
his  teftimony  and  that  of  Herrara,  was  with  that  of  the  people  or  peoples 
denominated  Cbontah.  That  it  had  fome  affinity  with  the  language  of 
the  fo-called  Cbontals  of  Honduras  and  Nicaragua,  is  fupported  by  the 
circumftance  that  a  dialed!  called  by  that  name  was  fpoken  in  the  towns 
Totogalpa,  Telpaneca,  Mofonte,  and  Somoto-Grandc,  in  the  Depart 
ment  of  Nueva  Segoria,  Nicaragua,  as  late  as  1784-86.  This  depart 
ment  lies  between  the  department  of  Chontales  in  Nicaragua,  and  that  of 
Tegucigalpa  in  Honduras,  and  its  phyfical  and  aboriginal  affinities  are 
the  fame.  The  conclufion  is  alfo  fupported  by  the  faft  that  Popolaca  and 
Cbontalli  are  both  pure  Nahuatl  or  Mexican  words,  fignifying  ftrangers, 
foreigners,  and  barbarians,  or  thofe  fpeaking  a  barbarous  language,  which 
(as  we  mail  foon  fee)  accords  with  the  ufe  made  of  the  term  Cbontal, 
as  a  general  defignation  for  all  the  ruder  aboriginal  nations  of  Central 
America.  In  Molina's  Mexican  Dictionary  we  have  : 
"  Popolaca,  barbero,  hombre  de  otra  nacion  y  lenguaje. 
"  Popolaca,  que  hablan  lenguaje  barbero.  Pret.  oni  popolacac. 
"  Cbontalli,  eftrangero,  6  foraftero." 

The  only  inference  that  can  be  drawn  from  thefe  data  is,  that  the 
Popoluca  was  neither  a  dialed  of  the  Kacbiquel  nor  Nabuatl,  but  fome 
form  of  the  Cbontal,  ufing  that  term  to  dcfignate  the  various  dialefts 
fpoken  by  the  "  rude  and  brutifh"  Indian  nations  of  the  various  pro 
vinces  of  Central  America. 

A  language  called  the  Popoloca  was  fpoken  by  a  portion  of  the  people 
in  the  diftridl  around  the  ancient  town  of  Tecamachalco,  eighty  or  a 
hundred  miles  to  the  fouth-eaft  of  the  city  of  Mexico.  The  Fray  Fran- 
cifco  de  Toral,  who  afterwards  became  Bifhop  of  Yucatan,  wrote  a  gram 
mar  of  this  language,  which  is  characterized  by  Torquemada  as  "  difi- 
cultofifima  de  aprender."  The  authorities  always  diftinguifti  it  as 
radically  diftinft  from  the  Mexican ;  and,  from  all  that  can  be  gathered, 
the  people  who  fpoke  it  were  an  intruded  family,  of  a  warlike  and  ob- 
ftinate  character.  There  is  no  reafon  for  believing  that  their  language 
had  any  relation  with  that  fpoken  by  the  people  of  Guazacapan  ;  although 


I03 

it  is  probable  that  it  received  its  name  from  the  fame  caufe,  namely,  its 
difficulty,  and,  to  the  Mexican  ear,  barbaric  rudenefs.* 

I  have  grave  doubts  if  the  term  Cbontal  was  ever  ufed  to  defignate  any 
particular  language  or  dialed,  and  as  a  .bafts  for  an  expreffion  of  my 
views  on  this  point,  I  fubjoin  fuch  allufions  to  the  Cbontah  and  the  Cbon 
tal  language  as  have  fallen  under  my  notice,  irr  the  early  chronicles  and 
in  other  authorities. 

Torquemada  alluding  to  the  languages  of  Honduras,  fays :  "  There 
"  are  different  languages,  but  the  moft  general  is  that  of  the  Cbontales, 
"  who  extend  into  Nicaragua,  called  thus  by  the  Spaniards,  who  mean 
"  thereby  to  exprefs  nifties,  or  Sofa/es."  f — Monarcbia  Indiana,  etc., 
vol.  i,  p.  335. 

Oviedo,  enumerating  the  languages  of  Nicaragua,  mentions  three  prin 
cipal  ones,  of  which  the  third  was  the  Cbondal.  "  Thefe  Cbondals" 
he  continues,  "  are  the  moft  clownifh,  living  among  the  mountains  or  on 
"  their  flopes."  In  another  place  he  adds :  "  The  Cbondals  differ 
"  among  tbemfehes  in  language,  fo  that  they  cannot  communicate  one 
"  with  another ;  being  feparated  in  this  refpeft  as  widely  as  the  Bif- 
"  cayans  and  Italians." 

Palacio  ftates  that  at  Iftepeque,  in  San  Salvador,  going  fouthward, 
"  The  Indians  commence  to  fpeak  a  new  language,  which  they  call 
"  CbontaL  They  are  very  rude,"  etc.  He  again  affirms,  that  in 
going  from  Chiquimula  de  la  Sierra  in  Guatemala  to  Gracias  a  Dios  in 
Honduras,  "  we  find  the  Cbontal  Indians." 

Herrara,  probably  following  Oviedo,  in  enumerating  the  various  na 
tions  of  Nicaragua,  mentions  the  Cbontals  as  "  a  rude  people  of  the 
"  mountains."  Copying  Palacio,  he  fpeaks  of  the  natives  of  Guazaca- 
pan,  as  "  practicing  the  rites  of  the  Cbontah  of  Honduras,  their  neigh- 
"  bors."  He  alfo  ftates  that  in  the  Province  of  Tabafco  there  were 
fpoken  "  three  languages,  the  Cbontal  abounding  in  words  and  ufed  by 
"  a  greater  part  (the  mafles)  of  the  people,  the  Zoque"  etc.  In  the  fame 
chapter,  however,  Herrara  declares  that  Cortez,  in  taking  care  of  the 


*  Dr.  Carl  Scherzer,  and  after  him  the  Abbe  Brafleur,  fpeak  of  a  dialed*  of  the 
Kachiquel  fpoken  in  the  mountains  of  Sacatapequez  and  near  the  town  of  Santa  Maria 
in  Guatemala,  called  Pupuluka  by  the  firft,  and  Pa-puluka  by  the  latter.  It  would 
feem  from  the  very  imperfect  data  given  by  thefe  authorities,  that  the  defignation  was 
really  Puluka,  and  quite  local  in  its  application.  The  Abbe  Brafleur  ftates  that  it 
comes  from  the  name  of  a  ruined  town,  near  the  prefent  San  Juan  de  Sacatapequez. 

t  The  term  Bo$ales  here  fignifies  (imply  perfons  fpeaking  an  unknown  tongue, 
"  muzzled,"  and  is  still  applied  in  Cuba  to  fremly-imported  negroes,  incapable  of  un- 
derftanding  Spaniards,  or  being  underftood  by  them. 


[   I04  ] 


pacification  of  the  various  provinces  on  the  North  Sea,  "  no  olvidodofe 
"  de  la  que  llaman  de  Tabafco,  como  tomo  el  nombrc  del  cazique  afi 
"  llamado,  fenor  de  Potonchan,  que  en  lengua  Cailellana  fignifica  Chon- 
"  tal,  como  fi  fe  dixefle  Barbara,  porque  lo  mifmo  es  Cbontal  en  lenguage 
Mexicana" — -Decade,  iii,  lib.  vii,  cap.  iii. 

In  Molina's  Mexican  Dictionary  (as  I  have  already  faid)  the  word 
Cbontalli  is  defined  as  fignifying  "  eftrangero  6  foraftero." 

It  feems  conclufivc  from  the  above  references,  that  the  term  Cbontal 
was  applied,  in  various  places,  in  the  fcnfe  of  foreigners,  "  outlide  bar 
barians,"  and  favages,  to  the  ruder  Indian  populations  or  tribes,  and 
was  never  ufed  fpecifically  to  defignate  any  particular  family,  and  that,  as 
applied  to  languages,  it  was  ufed  vaguely  by  the  Mexicans,  and  after 
them  by  the  Spaniards,  to  defignate  the  languages  of  the  peoples  thus 
contemptuoufly  characterized.  The  Cbontals  are  always  a  rude,  bar 
barous  people,  the  lowed  in  rank  of  the  aboriginal  families ;  and,  accord 
ing  to,  Qviedo,  "  differing  among  themfelves  in  language,  as  widely  as 
"  the  Bafques  and  Italians." 

Herva.s  has  fallen  into  fome  very  grave  errors  in  regard  to  a  language 
which  he  calls  Cbontal,  and  which  he  imagines  extended  from  Nicar 
agua  to  Tabafco,  and  predominated  in  Guatemala.  His  deductions, 
however,  as  regards  the  diffunon  of  the  language,  are  exclufively  founded 
on  what  is  faid  by  Herrara,  and  above  quoted ;  and  his  conclufion  as  to 
its  having  been  the  predominant  language  of  Guatemala,  refults  from  a 
total  mifapprehenfion  of  the  fame  hiftorian,  and  from  a  miftake  in  under- 
Handing  what  Herrara  fay«  of  the  Province  of  Guazacapan  fpecially,  as 
applying  to  Guatemala  as  a  whole.  (Catalogue  de  las  Lenguas  Cono- 
cidas,  etc.  vol.  i,  p.  300).  He  underftands  Herrara  to  affirm,  "  que  los 
"  [Indios]  de  Guatemala  tienen  fu  lengua  particular,  y  obedecian  a  los 
"  Cbontales  de  Honduras  ;'  whereas  Herrara,  following  Palacio,  and  in 
faft  quoting  from  his  Relacion,  fays  this :  "  Son  los  Indios  defta  Pro- 
"  vincia  [Guazacapan]  humildes ;  corre  entre  ellos  la  lengua  Mexicana, 
"  aunque  la  tienen  particular.  Ufaban  en  fu  gentilidad  de  los  ritos  que 
"  los  Cbontales,  fus  vezinos  ;  obedecian  mucbo  a  fus  Jenores,  valia  el  que 
"  mas  podia,  y  el  que  era  mas  hombre  de  guerra,"  etc. 

In  difciiiling  the  fubjecl,  Hervas  adds,  that  "  en  Nicaragua  y  Tabafco 
"  fj  habla  la  hngua  Cbontal,  la  qual  feria  la  peculiar  de  los  Guatemalafes, 
'•'  porque  eflos  ejiaban  fujetos  a  los  Cbontales  de  Tabafco?  which  is  hif- 
torically  the  reverfe  of  the  faft ;  the  Quiches,  Zutugils  and  Kachjquels 
bjing  in  no  degree  dependent  upon  the  Tabafcans,  but  entirely  indepen 
dent  of  them,  and  much  the  moft  powerful. 

I  do  not  know  on  what  authority  it  is  ftated  that  the  Cbontal 
language  exifted  in  Oaxaca.  It  might  poflibly  be  inferred  from  De 


Souza's  notice  of  the  Fray  Domingo  Grijelmo,  who,  he  fays,  went  to 
Mexico  in  1528,  deftined  for  the  converfion  "  de  la  ferocifma  nation 
"  Chontal,  cuyo  lengua  aprendio  felizmente"  He  died  in  1582,  having 
written  fermons  in  the  Zapoteca  language.  The  Zapoteca  was  fpoken  in 
Oaxaca. 

Note  4,  page  23. 

THE  ancient  province  of  Guazacapan,  as  defined  by  Palacio,  is  now 
entirely  embraced  in  the  Corregimiento  of  Guatemala,  in  the  re 
public  of  the  fame  name.  The  extent  of  coaft  between  the  Rio 
Michatoyat  and  the  Rio  Paz  or  Paza,  the  prefent  boundary  between 
Guatemala  and  San  Salvador,  is  about  fifty  ftatute  miles.  The  ground 
near  the  fea  is  low  and  full  of  creeks,  correfponding  with  the  defcription 
in  the  text.  This  diftrift  was  reduced  by  Alvarado,  who  here  fought 
feveral  fevere  battles  with  the  various  local  chieftans ;  thofe  of  the  towns 
of  Atiquipaque,  Taxifco  and  Guazacapan  offering  the  moft  determined 
refiftance.  Near  the  town  of  Comapa,  which  itfelf  is  near  the  boundary 
of  San  Salvador,  are  fome  confiderable  ruins,  known  as  the  ruins  of  Ci- 
naca-Mecallo,  for  an  account  of  which  fee  my  States  of  Central  America, 
etc.,  p.  341. 

Note  5,  page  29. 

THE  falls  in  the  river   Michatoyat,  here  alluded  to,   are  faid  by 
thofe  who  have  feen  them,  to  be  among  the  fineft  in  the  world. 
They  occur  near  the  village  of  San  Pedro  Martyr,  in  the  depart 
ment   and  republic  of  Guatemala.     Mr.    Stephens    defcribes   thern   as 
"  confiding  of  four  ftreams,  feparated  by  granitic  rocks,  partly  concealed 
"  by  bufhes,  and  precipitated  from  a  height  of  about  two  hundred  feet, 
"  forming,    with    the    wild    fcenery    around,    a    ftriking   and   romantic 
"  view." — Incidents  of  Travel  in  Central  America,  vol.  i,  p.  292. 


Note  6,  page  3 1 . 

IN  a  previous  note  I  have  alluded  to  the  change  which  this  important 
pafTage  has  undergone  in  its  tranfmiflion  through  Herrara  and  Hervas, 
and  how  it  has  been  underftood  by  the  latter  to  convey  a  fenfe  en 
tirely  different  from  that  exprefled  in  the  original  of  Palacio.     Another 
illuftration  of  the  neceflity  of  following  back  the  ftream  of  American 
htllory  to  its  fourc;,  is  afforded  in  the  fame  chapters  of  Herrara  and 
Hervas,  to  which  reference  has  already  been  made.     Thus,  what  Palacio 

H 


fays  generally  of  the  languages  of  the  provinces  of  the  old  Kingdom  of 
Guatemala  as  a  whole,  in  the  abridgment  and  paraphrafe  of  Herrara,  is 
made  to  apply  fpecifically  to  the  coaft  of  the  Pacific,  between  Guaza- 
capan  and  the  Rio  Lempa.  Hervas,  following  Herrara  is  thereby  led 
quite  aftray  in  his  philological  deductions.  Thefe  corruptions  of  the 
original  will  beft  appear  from  the  following  comparifon  : 

Original  of  Palacio^- 1576.  Herrara's  Paraphrafe —  1 60 1 . 

"  Efta  dividida  en  13  provincias  "  Efta  dividida  en  13  provincias 

principales,  fin  otras  mas  menudas  principales,  fin  otras  menudas,  que 

que  en  ellas  fe  incluyen ;  fon  Chia-  fon  Chiapa,  Soconufco,  etc.   *  *  * 

pa,  Soconufco,  etc. ;  i  en  cada  una  Todas  los  deftas  provincias  hablan 

dellas    ay    i    hablan    los    naturales  diferentes  lenguas,  comen9ando  de 

diferentes  lenguas,    etc.,    que  fon  :  Guazacapan,  hafta  el  rio  de  Lempa, 

[Here  follows  an   enumeration  of  que  corre  50  leguas  al  Lefte,  por  la 

languages,    and    Palacio   refumes  ;]  cofta  del  mar  del  Sur,  y  a  lo  ancho 

De  las  quales  [provincias]  comenze  hafta    Chiquimula    de    la    Sierra," 

a  vifitar  de  la  de  Guazacapan  hafta  etc. — 'Dec.  iv,  lib.  viii,  cap,  viii. 
el   rio    de  Lempa,    que   corre    50 
leguas  al  Efte  por  la  cofta  del  Sur, 
i  a  lo  hancho  hafta  Chiquimula  de 
la  Sierra."  etc. 

Note  7,  page  33. 

FUENTES,  in  his  unpublimed  Hiftory  of  Guatemala,  gives  an  ac 
count  of  fome  curious  ceremonies  practiced  among  the  Kachiquels, 
Zutugils,  Quiches,  etc.,  on  the  occafion  of  a  childbirth.  He  fays  : 

"  On  the  birth  of  a  child  they  take  an  ear  of  maize,  the  kernels  of 
'  which  are  of  bright  and  diverfe  colors,  and  utter  over  it  myfterious 
'  and  facred  words,  for  the  good  of  the  infant.  They  cut  the  umbilical 
'  cord  with  a  new  knife  of  flint,  which  has  never  been  ufed  for  any 
'  other  purpofe,  and  catch  the  blood  on  an  ear  of  maize,  which  is  then 
'  {helled,  planted,  and  carefully  cultivated  for  the  benefit  of  the  child. 
'  The  produce  is  again  planted  for  the  child,  which  is  fupported  from 
'  the  crop — a  part,  however,  is  given  to  the  prieft  of  the  temple.  Thus, 

they  lay,  they  live,  not  by  the  fweat  of  their  brows,  but  from  their 

own  blood.  The  knife  ufed  in  the  ceremony  is  regarded  as  a  facred 
'  thing,  and  is  afterwards  thrown  in  a  river,  to  prevent  future  defile- 
'  ment."  He  adds  that  in  bringing  up  children  "  they  faften  them  to  a 
'  board,  by  means  of  ftraps  wound  around  their  body  all  the  way  from 

the  feet  to  the   fhoulders,  in  confequence  of  which  all   the  Indians 

have  the  backs  of  their  heads  fmooth  and  flat." 


I07 

Note  8,  page  35. 

HE  fo-called  port  of  Iftapa  or  Iftapam,  Hill  anfwers  to  this  def- 
cription.  It  is  fimply  a  bad  roadftcad,  without  flicker,  and  only 
available,  with  difficulty,  in  the  belt  of  weather.  In  1853  the 
government  of  Guatemala,  formally  abandoned  Iftapa,  for  a  place  twelve 
miles  to  the  northward,  called  San  Jofe,  which  however  feems  to  offer 
but  a  flight  improvement  on  the  former.  Guatemala,  unfortunately, 
has  no  natural  port  or  harbor  on  the  Pacific. 

Note  9,  page  37. 

CACAO  beans  ftill  ferve  for  fmall  change  in  the  markets  of  Nicaragua, 
where  five  kernels  have  the  value  of  about  one  cent  of  our  cur 
rency.     They  have  the  fame  ufe  in  various  parts  of  San  Salvador 
and  Guatemala.     But  the  production  of  cacao,  in  the  diftridl  around 
Sonfbnate  and  Izalco,  has  greatly  fallen  off  fince  Palacio  wrote,  and  it  is 
now  quite  a  fubordinate  branch  of  induftry.     The  natural  adaptation  of 
the  country  for  its  cultivation  is,  neverthelefs,  the  fame,  and  with  peace 
and  the  introduction  of  capital,  the  ancient  commerce  in  cacao  may  be 
revived,  with  increafed  amount  and  profit. 

Note  10,  page  39. 

THE  old  friar,  Thomas  Gage,  has  left  us  a  glowing  account  of  the 
cacao,  to  which  he  confefles  an  extraordinary  predilection.  He 
fays  that  "  it  contains  the  quality  of  the  four  elements,  yet  in  the 
*'  common  opinion  of  phyficians,  it  is  held  to  be  cold  and  dry,  a  praedo- 
"  mino.  It  is  alfo  in  the  mbftance  that  rules  thefe  two  qualities,  reftringent 
"  and  obftruftive,  of  the  nature  of  the  element  of  the  earth.  And  as  it  is 
"  thus  a  mixed  and  not  a  fimple  element,  it  hath  parts  correfpondent  to 
"  the  reft  of  the  elements ;  and  particularly  it  correfponds  with  the  element 
"  of  air,  that  is  heat  and  moifture,  which  are  governed  by  unftious  parts, 
"  there  being  drawn  out  of  the  cacao  much  butter,"  etc.,  etc.,  through  four 
pages.  (A  New  Survey  of  the  Ifejl  Indies,  etc.,  Englijh  Ed.  of  \  699, 
p.  239.)  "  The  Peruvians,"  remarks  Von  Tfchudi,  "  have  fome  fingu- 
"  lar  prejudices  on  the  fubjeft  of  eating  and  drinking.  Every  article  of 
"  food  is,  according  to  their  notions,  either  heating  (caliente),  or  cooling 
"  (frio) ;  and  they  believe  that  certain  things  are  in  oppofition  to  each 
"  other,  or,  as  they  phrafe  it,  fe  oponen"  ( Travels  in  Peru,  American 
Ed.,  p.  105).  The  notion,  it  feems  from  the  text,  is  as  old  as  the  days 
of  Palacio. 


Note  n,  page  41. 

THE  city  of  La  Trinidad  de  Sonfonate  ftill  exifts,  and  is  one  of  the 
moft  thriving  in  the  whole  republic  of  San  Salvador.  It  is  fituated, 
as  defcribed  in  the  text,  not  far  from  the  foot  of  the  great  volcano 
of  Sta.  Ana,  formerly  called  Izalco — the  latter  name  having  lately  been 
given  to  a  new  volcano  or  cone  of  eruption,  which  fprung  up  in  1770, 
and  has  iince  reached  an  altitude  of  4000  feet.  The  country  around 
Sonfonate  is  fertile,  thickly  populated,  and  profufely  watered,  in  all 
refpefts  anfwering  the  encomiums  of  Palacio.  Juarros  ftates  that  the 
name  of  Sonfonate  is  a  corruption  of  the  Nahuatl  or  Mexican  word 
Cezontlatl,  fignifying  four  hundred  fprings  of  water — a  name  not  un 
warranted  by  the  multitude  of  fprings  and  brooks  which  flow  from  the 
bafe  of  the  volcano  and  the  high  lands  near  it,  and  give  eternal  frefhnefs 
and  vigor  to  vegetation,  and  luxuriance  and  rich  returns  to  the  harveft. 
Sonfonate  is  cluftered  round  by  Indian  villages,  of  which  Izalco  is  largeft 
and  moft  important,  containing  not  lefs  than  6000  inhabitants,  moftly 
Indians,  who  in  part  retain  their  native  tongue  and  many  of  their  original 
cuftoms.  No  portion  of  the  continent  better  deferves  the  title  of  Garden 
of  America,  than  the  diftrift  of  Sonfonate. 

Acajutla,  as  defcribed  in  the  text,  is  a  fimple  roadftead,  with  no  pro- 
teftion  except  what  is  afforded  by  a  low  ledge  of  rocks  projecting  into 
the  fea  and  called  "  Punta  de  los  Remedies."  At  low  water,  and  in 
calm  weather,  landing  is  eafy ;  but  at  other  times  difficult,  dangerous,  and 
almoft  impoffible.  It  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  moft  infalubrious  points, 
on  the  whole  Pacific  coaft  of  Central  America.  Being  however  the  only 
means  of  accefs  to  a  fertile  and  populous  diftricl:,  it  muft  continue  to  be 
a  refort  for  commerce.  Under  the  crown,  it  was  one  of  the  places  of 
call  for  the  Acapulco  Galleons. 


Note  12,  page  43. 

A  recent  traveller  in  Chiapas  and  Tabafco,  Mr.  Morelet,  fays  of  the 
Rio  San  Pedro,  a  principal  affluent  of  the  great  river  Ufumafinta : 
"  Les  eaux  de  cette  riviere  font  douees  a  un  haut  degre  de  vertus 
petrifiantes,  et  les  ecueils  dont  fon  cours  eft  obftru6,  furtout  aux  environs 
de  Nojmaftun,  n'ont  pas  d'autre  origine  que  1'encroutement  et  la  folidifi- 
cation  des  troncs  d'arbres  qui  y  font  tombes." — Voyage  dans  FAmerique 
Centrak,  vol.  i,  p.  307. 


I  109  ] 

Note  13,  page  49. 

THE  original  is  not  very  clear ;  but  our  author  probably  means  to 
defcribe  a  fpring,  around  which  depofits  and  accretions  have  gra 
dually  formed  a  mafs,  like  ftone,  with  an  opening  in  the  centre, 
within  which  the  water  is  conftantly  boiling,  and  from  which  fmoke  or 
fteam  conftantly  rifes.  Such  fprings,  thus  built  in  by  their  own  depofits, 
are  not  uncommon.  The  one  known  as  the  Iodine  Spring  at  Saratoga  is 
of  fimilar  character.  The  other  fprings  defcribed  by  Palacio  are  now 
known  by  the  name  of  Aufoles  de  Abuachapam,  and  are  among  the  moft 
remarkable  objects  of  curiofity  in  the  country.  They  occupy  a  confider- 
able  trad:  of  land,  the  largeft  being  not  Icfs  than  a  hundred  yards  in  cir 
cumference.  They  emit  a  denfe  white  fteam,  from  a  femi-fluid  mafs  of 
mud  and  water,  in  a  ftate  of  violent  ebullition,  which  conftantly  throws 
off  large  bubbles,  three  or  four  feet  in  height.  The  water  of  the  different 
fprings  varies  in  color,  but  otherwife  their  features  are  the  fame.  The 
ground  near  them  is  hot,  and  foon  becomes  infupportable  to  the  feet ; 
and  around  all  of  them,  the  water  has  formed  depofits  of  fineft  clays,  of 
almoft  every  variety  of  color,  which,  as  fuggefted  by  Palacio,  might  be 
made  ufeful  in  the  arts.  (Gage's  New  View,  etc.,  p.  415  ;  Montgomery's 
Narrative,  p.  115;  Stephens'  Incidents  of  Travel  in  Central  America, 
vol.  ii,  p.  67).  Not  far  from  thefe  fprings,  on  a  high  ridge,  is  a  re 
markable  volcanic  lake  called  Laguna  Verde,  fhut  in  by  high  precipitous 
walls  of  rock.  It  is  only  about  three  hundred  feet  broad,  nearly  cir 
cular,  and  of  great  depth.  It  has  no  outlet,  but  its  waters  are  neverthe- 
lefs  fweet  and  potable.  On  the  flope  of  the  fame  ridge  is  a  large  inter 
mittent  fpring  vulgarly  called  Agua  Chfuca,  which  flows  freely  from 
September  to  March,  and  is  fufpended  for  the  remaining  months  of  the 
year.  Its  water  has  a  ftrongly  fetid  odor,  and  hence  it  derives  its  name. 

Note  14,  page  53. 

THIS  lake  is  diftant  two  leagues  to  the  fouthward  of  the  prefent  con- 
flderable  town  of  Cuatepeque,  from  which  it  takes  its  name,  Laguna 
de  Cuatepeque.     This   name   is  derived  from  the   Mexican   Coat/, 
(in  Pipil  coat  or  cuat),  ferpent,  and  tepee  or  tepeque,  mountain,  i.  e., 
Mountain  of  the  Serpent.     A  confiderable  part  of  the  limeftone,  for 
making  the  lime  ufed  in  the  town,  is  taken  from  the  bottom  of  this  lake, 
by  divers.     It  is  furrounded  by  abrupt  walls  of  volcanic  rocks,  and  feems 
to  have  been  an  ancient  crater.     The  name  of  the  town,  as  given  in  the 
text,  Coatan,  is  compounded  of  Coat/  as  above,   and  tlan,  place  or  lo 
cality  of;  i.  e.,  Place  of  the  Serpent. 


1  10 


Note  15,  page  55. 

THE  ftones  called  cbalcbiuites  by  the  Mexicans  (and  written  varioufly 
cbalcbibetes,  cbalcbibuis,  and  calcbibuis,  by  the  chroniclers),  were 
efteemed  of  high  value  by  all  the  Central  American  and  Mexican 
nations.  They  were  generally  of  green  quartz,  jade,  or  the  ftone  known 
as  madre  de  Ejmeralda,  and  were  often  elaborably  carved  with  relievo 
figures  of  divinities,  with  hieroglyphics,  etc.  I  have  a  number  of  thefe  in 
my  pofleffion,  obtained  from  the  ruins  of  Ocofmgo  in  Chiapas,  not  far  from 
Palenque,  which  are  real  gems,  far  furpaffing  any  works  of  aboriginal  art 
which  have  fallen  under  my  notice.  The  feated  figure  of  Cuculcan, 
reprefented  in  bas  relief,  in  one  of  the  rooms  of  the  palace  at  Palenque, 
and  figured  by  Stephens,  is  reproduced  in  one  of  thefe  Cbalchiuites,  in 
miniature.  Another  is  a  cylinder,  refembling  the  Aflyrian  or  Babylonian 
cylinders,  engraved  with  hieroglyphics  on  its  outer  furface.  Among  the 
prefents  which  Montezuma  gave  to  Cortex  for  the  King  of  Spain,  were 
fome  of  thefe  ftones.  Bernal  Diaz  reports  Montezuma  as  faying,  in 
handing  them  over  :  "  To  this  I  will  add  a  few  cbalcbihuis,  of  fuch 
"  enormous  value,  that  I  would  not  confent  to  give  them  to  any  one  fave 
"  to  fuch  a  powerful  Emperor  as  yours.  Each  of  thefe  ftones  is  worth 
"  two  loads  of  gold."  (Lockbarfs  Tranjlation,  vol.  i,  p.  378).  Diaz, 
in  another  place,  fpeaking  of  the  fkill  of  the  ancient  Mexicans  in  the  arts, 
obferves  :  "  After  thefe  came  the  very  fkillful  mafters  in  cutting  and 
"  polifhing  precious  ftones,  and  the  cbalcbibuis,  which  refemble  the 
"  emeralds."  (Ib.  vol.  i,  p.  233).  And  Fuentes,  in  his  inedited  hiftory 
of  Guatemala,  defcribes  the  Indians  of  Quiche  as  wearing  "  head-drefles 
"  of  rich  feathers  and  brilliant  ftones,  cbalchiguites,  which  were  large 
"  and  of  great  weight,  under  which  they  danced  without  wearying." 
The  goddefs  of  water,  amongft  the  Mexicans,  bore  the  name  of  Chal- 
chiuilcuye,  the  woman  of  the  Cbalcbiuites,  and  the  name  of  Cbalcbiuba- 
pan  was  often  applied  to  the  city  of  Tlaxcalla,  from  a  beautiful  fountain 
of  water  found  near  it,  "  the  color  of  which,"  according  to  Torquemada, 
"  was  between  blue  and  green."  Quetzalcoatl,  the  lawgiver,  high-prieft, 
and  inftracl^r  of  the  Mexicans,  was  faid  to  have  taught,  amongft  other 
things,  the  art  of  working  metals,  and  "  en  efpecial  el  arte  de  labrar  pie- 
"  dras  preciofas,  que  fon  cbalcbiuites,  que  fon  piedras  verdes,  que  eftima- 
"  ban  en  mucho  precio."  (Torquemada,  lib.  vi,  cap.  xxiv).  Quct 
zalcoatl,  himfelf,  according  to  certain  traditions,  was  begotten  by  one  of 
thefe  ftones,  which  the  goddefs  Chimalma  placed  in  her  bofom.  Torque 
mada  ftates  alfo,  that  cbalcbiuites  were  offered  to  the  goddefs  Matlalcueye, 
together  with  the  plumes  of  the  Quetzal.  When  a  great  dignitary  died, 


[  ni  ] 

his  corpfe  was  richly  decorated  with  gold,  and  plumes  of  feathers  for 
burial,  and  "  they  put  in  his  mouth  a  fine  ftone  refembling  emerald, 
"  which  they  call  chalcbibuitl,  and  which  they  fay,  they  pkce  there  as  a 
"  heart."  (Torquemada,  lib.  xiii,  cap.  xlv). 

Note  1 6,  page  55. 

THIS  balfam  is  beft  known  as  "Balfam  of  Peru,"  from  the  circumftance 
that  the  early  commercial  regulations  on  the  coaft  required  it  to  be 
fent  to  Callao,  before  tranfmiflion  to  Spain,  and  the  place  of  its 
origin  being  known  to  but  few,  it  took  the  name  of  the  country  whence 
it  was  laft  received.  The  diftrift  in  which  it  is  obtained,  known  formerly 
as  the  Coaft  of  Tonala,  is  now  called  Cofta  del  Balfimo.  It  extends 
along  the  Pacific  from  the  Port  of  La  Libertad  to  that  of  Acajutla,  a 
diftance  of  fifteen  leagues,  and  is  exclufively  inhabited  by  Indians,  who 
ftill  fpeak  the  Nahuatl  or  Pipil  language,  and  retain  their  primitive  habits 
and  cuftoms,  little  impaired.  Their  principal  wealth  is  this  balfam,  of 
which  they  fell  annually  about  20,000  pounds.  The  trees  yielding  the 
balfam  are  very  numerous  in  this  privileged  diftrift,  and  feem  to  be 
limited  to  it ;  hardly  a  tree  being  found  on  other  parts  of  the  coaft,  which 
are  feemingly  identical  in  foil  and  climate.  It  is  a  large  tree,  with  fine 
foliage,  and  its  wood  is  of  clofe  grain,  handfomely  veined,  refembling 
mahogany  but  of  redder  color.  It  takes  a  high  polifh  and  gives  out  a 
fragrant  odor.  The  balfam  is  extracted  by  making  incifions  in  the  tree, 
in  which  are  placed  balls  of  cotton  rags,  in  order  to  abforb  the  juice  as  it 
exudes.  When  thefe  are  faturated,  they  are  replaced  by  others,  and 
thrown  into  boiling  water.  The  heat  detaches  the  balfam,  which  being 
of  lefs  fpecific  gravity  floats  on  the  furface  of  the  water,  whence  it  is 
carefully  flammed  off,  and  gathered  in  calabafhes  or  hollow  fedlions  of 
bamboo,  for  market.  It  has  always  been  highly  prized  for  medicinal 
purpofes.  In  1562  Pope  Pius  IV,  and  in  1571,  Pius  V,  granted  permif- 
fion  for  its  ufe  in  the  confecration  of  the  holy  chrifm.  As  ftated  in  the 
text,  it  not  only  yields  ihe  black  and  white  balfam,  but  alfo  a  nut,  from 
which  the  "  oil  of  balfam"  is  obtained,  and  flowers  from  which  the 
"  fpirit  of  balfam"  is  diftilled.  The  columns  in  the  church  of  Guaymoco 
are  now  of  this  wood — perhaps  they  are  the  very  ones  feen  by  Palacio. 

Note  17,  page  55. 

THIS  is  the  ravine  or  barranca  of  Guaramal,  a  narrow  cleft  in  the 
rocks,  nearly  a  league  in  length,  through  which  the  road  from 
Sonfonate  to  San  Salvador  ftill  paffes.  It  is  traverfed  with  difficulty, 


[  I"  ] 

the  path  lying,  for  a  great  part  of  the  way,  in  the  bed  of  the  ftream, 
over  flippery  rocks,  and  rough  heaps  of  driftwood.  The  fun  never 
reaches  fome  parts  of  the  bottom  of  the  barranca  of  Guaramal,  and  its 
cavernous  afpeft  is  increafed  by  the  trees  and  bufhes  which  crown  the 
rocks  on  either  fide,  and  in  places  form  a  complete  arch  of  verdure.  I 
obferved  amongft  thefe,  when  paffing  through  the  barranca,  in  1853,  a 
number  of  fpecimens  of  the  male  or  tree  fern,  of  large  fize  and  great 
beauty.  I  believe  it  is  found  nowhere  elfe  in  Central  America. 


Note  1 8,  page  57. 

M  ALP  AYS  or  malpais,  literally  lad  country,  is  a  name  applied 
throughout  Central  America  to  diftrifts  overflowed  by  lava,  or 
covered  with  volcanic  ftones  and  cinders.     The  lava-field  crofled 
by   the  high    road    between   Mafaya    and    Managua  in  Nicaragua,  is 
known  as  the  Malpais  of  Nindiri. 


Note  19,  page  59. 

HERR ARA  follows  Palacio  in  his  account  of  the  ftream  referred  to, 
in  Chiapas.  Juarros,  who  profefles  to  derive  his  information 
from  an  eye  witnefs,  affirms  that  "  it  is  Jituated  on  the  flank  of  a 
mountain,  half  a  league  from  the  city  of  Ciudad  Real,  and  is  called 
Yetxhihuiat,  a  Mexican  word  fignifying  '  three  years  water.'  At  the 
expiration  of  the  term  of  three  years  the  fountain  dries  up,  and  the 
waters  burft  forth  at  a  point  five  leagues  diftant,  near  the  road  of  Teo- 
pifca.  The  natives  of  that  village  give  it  the  name  of  Qbx-avilbu, 
which,  in  the  Tzendal  language,  means  the  fame  with  the  Mexican 
word.  After  flowing  here  for  three  years,  the  waters  rife  again,  in  their 
former  place." 

Note  20,  page  61. 

THE  city  of  San  Salvador  was  founded  in  1528  by  George  de  Alva- 
rado,  brother  of  the  conqueror,  at  a  point  called  las  Bermudas,  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  prefent  town  of  Suchitoto.     About  ten  years 
after  it  was  transferred  to  its  prefent  fite.     Under  the  crown  it  was  the 
capital  of  the  Province  of  San  Salvador,  and  after  the  independence  it 
became  the  capital  of  the  State.     For  a  fhort  time  it  was  the  feat  of 
government  of  the  Federal  Republic  of  Central  America.     It  was  almoft 


[   "3  ] 

entirely  deftroyed  by  an  earthquake  in  April,  1854,  when  it  was  refolved 
to  change  its  fite  to  the  plain  of  Santa  Tecla,  about  three  leagues  diftant, 
and  near  the  head  of  the  barranca  of  Guaramal.  The  attempt  was  not 
fuccefTful,  and  in  January,  1859,  it  was  again  eftablifhed  as  the  feat  of 
government,  on  its  ancient  foundations.  Befides  the  earthquake  men 
tioned  by  Palacio,  the  city  fuffered  greatly  by  others  which  occurred 
fubfequently,  and  of  which  thofe  of  1575,  1593,  1625,  1656,  1798, 
and  1839,  are  recorded  as  having  been  the  moft  violent.  The  latter 
mattered  the  city,  and  led  the  people  to  think  of  abandoning  it ;  but 
none  of  thefe  convulfions  feem  to  have  been  fo  fevere  as  that  of  1854. 
For  a  detailed  account  of  the  city  and  of  this  earthquake,  fee  my  "  States  of 
Central  America,  etc."  pp.  300-307. 

Note  21,  page  63. 

THIS  lake,  named  Ilopango  (written  anciently  Gilopango)  is  about 
ten  miles  long,  by  perhaps  five  broad  in  its  wideft  part,  and  is 
clearly  of  volcanic  origin.  It  is  furrounded  on  every  fide  by  high 
abrupt  hills,  compofed  of  fcorize,  and  volcanic  flones.  It  receives  no 
tributary  ftreams  of  importance,  although  it  has  a  fmall  outlet,  flowing 
through  a  deep,  dark  ravine,  into  the  Rio  Jiboa,  near  the  bafe  of  the 
volcano  of  San  Vicente.  The  water  when  taken  up  is  remarkably 
pellucid,  but  it  is  not  confidered  good  for  ufe.  In  calm  weather  it 
reflects  the  blue  color  of  the  fky,  but  when  its  furface  is  ruffled  by 
winds  it  affumes  a  green  color,  appropriately  called  verde  de  perico,  parrot- 
green.  It  then  emits  a  ftrong  and  difagreeable  fulphurous  odor.  At 
prefent,  large  quantities  of  the  mojarras,  referred  to  by  Palacio,  are  caught 
by  the  Indians,  and  fold  in  San  Salvador,  where  they  are  greatly  prized. 
The  fhores  are  divided  out  among  the  people  of  the  furrounding  villages, 
as  their  peculiar  fifhing  grounds. 


Note  22,  page  63. 

I   have  already  given  my  reafons  for  believing  that  the  term  Cbontal 
was  ufed  not  as  a  fpecific  but  as  a  general  defignation,  in  the  fenfe  of 
favage  or  barbarian,  and  applied  by  the  Mexicans  indifcriminately  to 
all  frontier  or  uncivilized  tribes  with  which  they  were  acquainted,  and 
often  taken  up  and  adopted  by  the  Spaniards.     There  is  no  doubt  of  the 
faft  that  the  ancient  diftrift  of  Chaparriftique,  now  San  Miguel,  inter 
vening  between  the  river  Lempa  and  the  Bay  of  Fonfeca,  was  occupied 
by  a  tribe  or  number  of  tribes  and  families,  differing  in  language  cer- 

15 


tainly,  and  probably  in  origin  and  character  from  the  Pipiles.  Palacio 
ftates  that  they  fpoke  three  languages,  the  Taulepa,  Poton,  and  Ulua — 
the  latter  probably  the  fame  with  the  Ulia,  which  he  alfo  affirms  was 
fpoken  in  Honduras,  where  we  can  hardly  fail  to  recognize  it  in  the 
Gaula  of  Juarros,  and  Woolwa  of  modern  times.  It  may  be  prefumed 
that  the  name  is  alfo  perpetuated  in  that  of  the  great  river  Ulua,  the 
principal  ftream  in  Honduras,  on  the  banks  of  which,  according  to  the 
ancient  chroniclers,  lived  the  aboriginal  family  of  the  Uluas.  The  name 
Taulepa  feems  to  be  preferved  in  that  of  the  principal  lake  in  Honduras, 
Lake  Tauleb'e  or  Yojoa.  The  Poton  is  without  doubt  the  fame  with 
the  Ponton  which  Palacio  mentions  as  having  been  fpoken  in  Nicaragua. 
The  teftimony  of  the  early  writers  indicates  very  clearly  that  the  rela 
tions  of  the  aborigines  of  the  diftricT:  of  Chaparriftique  or  San  Miguel 
were  with  the  Indians  of  Honduras.  The  fad:  that  many  names  of  places 
in  that  diftrift  are  traceable  etymologically  to  the  Nahuatl,  may  eafily  be 
overvalued.  When  Cortez  undertook  his  expedition  through  Yucatan 
into  Honduras,  he  was  accompanied  by  feveral  thoufand  Mexican  Indians, 
of  whom  many  were  left  at  the  various  fettlements  which  he  founded. 
The  fame  was  true  of  Alvarado.  When  he  undertook  the  conqueft  of 
Guatemala,  he  had  a  very  fmall  force  of  Spaniards,  but  a  large  body  of 
Mexican  auxiliaries.  After  the  conqueil  was  effected,  lands  were  affigned 
to  the  latter  in  the  vicinity  of  the  conquered  capitals,  as  well  as  in  the  neigh 
borhood  of  the  new  eflablifhments  that  were  founded  by  the  Spaniards 
themfelves.  It  was  thus  that  Almolonga  and  Mixco  in  the  environs  of 
the  old  city  of  Guatemala  received  their  names  ;  thofe  places  having  been 
affigned  to  a  portion  of  the  Mexicans  in  Alvarado's  army.  But  this  was 
not  all.  The  Mexicans  thus  cftablifhed  in  the  country  often  tranflated 
the  native  names,  in  cafes  where  they  characterized,  as  they  generally  did, 
fome  peculiarity  of  pofition  or  vicinage ;  and  in  fome  inftances  it  is  not 
to  be  doubted,  they  fubltituted  names  of  their  own  for  the  native  and,  to 
their  tongues,  often  unpronounceable  names  in  ufe  in  the  country.  Thus 
the  capital  of  the  Zutugil  kingdom  was  called  Atziquinixai  (home  of  the 
Eagle)  by  the  Zutugils.  The  Mexicans,  Pipils,  or  Nahuatls  called  it 
Atitlan  (place  by  the  water),  it  being  fituated  on  a  lake.  Zetulul  they 
called  Zapttitlan,  and  Xelahub,  Ouetzaltenango.  Examples  of  this  kind 
might  be  greatly  multiplied ;  but  enough  has  been  faid  to  mow  that  great 
caution  is  requiiite,  efpecially  in  Central  America,  in  making  deductions 
from  the  etymology  of  the  names  of  places. 

The  language  of  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  the  diftrift  of  San  Miguel, 
as  far  as  can  be  afcertained  from  the  limited  vocabularies  of  the  Indians 
who  ftill  fubfift  within  its  borders,  was  clofely  allied  with  the  Lenca,  as 
fpoken  by  the  Indians  of  Guajiquero,  Similaton,  etc.,  in  Honduras,  with 


[   "5  ] 

whom,  as  members  of  the  fame  family,  a  confiderable  portion  confolidated 
themfelves,  when  they  abandoned  their  ancient  feats  on  the  Pacific,  in 
confequence  of  the  oppreffions  of  the  Spaniards  and  the  incurfions  of  the 
buccaneers.  It  is  therefore  certain,  both  from  direft  and  inductive 
evidence,  that  the  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  Chaparriftique,  at  the  time  of 
the  Conqueft,  were  a  diftinft  race  from  the  Pipils  of  Cufcatlan,  and  fpoke 
a  different  language. 

^  Note  23,  page  65. 

I^HE  lake  referred  to  in  this  paragraph  is  now  known  as  lake  Guija 
(written  formerly  Guixar),  and  is  the  largeft  in  the  republic  of  San 
Salvador,  being  not  lefs  than  twenty  leagues  in  circumference.  It 
abounds  in  fifti,  the  traffic  in  which  is  a  fource  of  confiderable  profit  to 
the  people  living  on  its  mores.  According  to  tradition,  the  lake  was 
formed  by  an  eruption  of  the  neighboring  volcanos  of  San  Diego  and 
Mafatepeque.  By  thefe  eruptions  the  channels  of  the  rivers  Oftua  and 
Langue  were  blocked  up,  aud  many  ancient  towns  fubmerged,  the  ruins 
of  which  the  fifhermen  aver,  they  can  ftill  difcover  at  the  bottom.  On 
one  of  the  iflands  in  this  lake,  are  the  ruins  of  an  aboriginal  city,  called 
Zacualpa  or  Old  Town.  There  are  alfo  ruins  of  ancient  edifices  on 
the  borders  of  the  lake,  and  various  treafures  have  been  taken  from  its 
depths ;  the  laft  by  an  Indian  fiiherman  named  Nicolas  Santos,  in  1 848, 
who  found  in  the  crevices  of  a  promontory  of  lava,  left  uncovered  at 
low  water,  a  large  number  of  pieces  of  filver  of  round  form,  weighing 
altogether  upwards  of  twenty-five  pounds. 


Note  24,  page  6$. 

OUETZ  A.L  or  trogan  refplendens,  the  imperial  bird  of  the  Quiche, 
Zutugil,  and  Kachiquel  nations.  It  has  a  fplendid  plumage  of  a 
bright,  metallic  green  color,  and  its  tail  feathers  are  often  a  yard  in 
length.  They  were  ufed  by  the  civil  and  prieftly  dignitaries  for  pur- 
pofes  of  ornament,  and  are  reprefented  as  worn  by  the  leading  figures  in 
all  the  fculptures  and  paintings.  The  Quetzal  is  only  found  in  the  high 
and  fecluded  mountains  of  Honduras,  Guatemala,  Chiapas,  and  perhaps 
in  Oaxaca.  Quetfaltenango,  a  department  of  Guatemala,  has  its  defigna- 
tion  from  this  bird ;  and  the  name  combined  with  coat  I,  ferpent,  was 
that  applied  by  the  Mexicans  to  their  great  lawgiver,  teacher,  and  demi 
god,  QuetzalcoatI,  who  coincided  with  the  Cuculcan  of  Chiapas  and 
Yucatan. 


Note  25,  page  71. 

contador  of  the  crown,  who  accompanied  Gil  Gon- 
zales  de  Avila  in  his  conqueft  of  Nicaragua,  gives  a  correfponding 
account  of  the  rites  and  practices  of  the  people  of  the  Nahuatl  ftock, 
which  were  found  around  the  lake  of  Nicaragua.  Their  mode  of  facri- 
fice  was  the  fame ;  and  they  alfo  punftured  their  bodies  "  rubbing  the 
"  blood  from  their  wounds  on  the  faces  of  their  idols."  They  further 
more  fprinkled  blood,  drawn  from  the  organs  of  generation,  upon  maize, 
which  was  afterwards  diftributed  and  eaten  with  great  folemnity.  This 
fcenical  rite,  under  one  form  or  another,  may  be  traced  through  the 
rituals  of  moft  of  the  femi-civilized  nations  of  America,  in  ftrift  parallel- 
ifm  with  certain  Phallic  rites  of  the  Hindus,  and  of  thofe  other  numerous 
nations  of  the  old  world,  devoted  to  a  fimilar  primitive  religion. 

Cerezada  ftates  that  the  temples  of  thefe  Nicaraguans  were  built  of 
timber  and  thatched,  of  large  fize,  and  containing  many  low,  dark,  inner 
chapels.  Thefe,  it  feems>  were  furrounded  by  large  courts,  beyond  which 
none  but  priefts  and  cazique  dared  to  pafs.  Befides  thefe,  there  were 
what  the  Indians  called  tezarits,  or  "  high  places,"  conical  or  pyramidal 
in  form,  and  afcended  by  fteps,  on  which  the  facrifices  were  made.  They 
were  flat  at  their  fummits,  which  varied  in  area,  fome  being  broad  enough 
to  give  room  for  ten  men.  "  In  the  middle  of  this  fpace,"  continues 
Cerezada,  "  ftandeth  a  ftone  higher  than  the  reft,  equalling  a  man's  body 
in  length ;  and  this  accurfed  ftone  is  the  altar  of  their  miferable  facri 
fices.  On  the  appointed  day  of  facrifice,  the  prieft,  in  full  view  of 
all,  from  this  eminent  place,  performeth  the  office  of  preacher,  and 
making  a  {harp  knife  of  ftone  which  he  holds  in  his  hand,  proclaim^ 
that  a  facrifice  is  to  be  made,  and  alfo  whether  it  be  a  prifoner,  one 
who  is  a  {lave,  or  one  who  has  been  referved  from  infancy  for  the 
purpofe.  *  *  *  Thofe  to  be  facrificed  are  ftretched  out  flat  on 
the  ftone  aforefaid,  and  the  prieft  cutting  open  the  breaft,  plucks  out 
the  heart,  wherewith  he  anoints  the  mouths  of  the  idols.  The  body 
is  then  cut  in  pieces,  and  diftributed  among  the  priefts,  nobility  and 
people.  But  the  head  is  hung  as  a  trophy,  upon  the  branches  of  cer 
tain  fmall  trees,  which  are  preferved  for  that  purpofe  near  the  place  of 
facrifice.  The  portions  which  are  diftributed  they  partly  bury  before 
their  doors,  but  the  reft  they  burn,  leaving  the  afhes  in  the  field  of 
facrifice." 

Juarros,  quoting  from  the  MS.  Hiftory  of  Guatemala,  by  the  chronicler 
Fuentes,  denies  that  human  facrifices  exifted  among  the  Pipils  of  Cuf- 
catlan.  Fuentes  bafes  his  ftatement  on  a  Pipil  MS.,  to  which  he  had 


acccfs,  which  gives,  however,  a  very  apocryphal  not  to  fay  abfurd 
account  of  the  origin  of  the  Pipils,  and  which  affirms  that  the  attempt  to 
introduce  human  facrifices  by  the  great  cazique  Cuauemichin,  refuhed  in 
a  general  infurredYion  of  his  people,  and  his  depofltion  and  death.  I, 
however,  attach  but  little  authority  to  the  ftatements  of  this  Pipil  MS., 
and  have  no  doubt  of  the  exiftence  of  human  facrifices  among  the  people 
of  Cufcatlan,  as  affirmed  by  Palacio,  and  after  him  by  Herrara.  The 
praftice  feems  to  have  been  univerfal  among  all  nations  of  the  Nahuatl  or 
Mexican  flock,  whether  in  Anahuac,  Cufcatlan,  or  Nicaragua.  Theirs 
was  a  bloody  ritual,  contrafting  ftrongly  with  that  of  the  various  families 
of  the  great  and  more  highly  civilized  Tzendal  or  Maya  flock. 


Note  26,  page  75. 

THE  name  Calpul  was  applied  by  the  Mexicans  to  what  may  be 
called  the  municipal  edifices  of  their  cities  and  villages.  Thefe 
were  placed  around  the  public  fquare  of  the  various  towns,  frequently 
flanking  or  facing  the  principal  temple  or  cue.  Among  the  remains  of 
ancient  flrudlures,  on  the  fites  of  the  abandoned  aboriginal  towns  of 
Central  America,  we  almofl  always  find  a  feries  of  truncated,  terraced 
mounds  of  earth  or  flone,  difpofed  in  the  form  of  a  fquare,  which  to  this 
day  are  called  calpules  by  the  common  people.  A  fine  group  of  thefe 
remains  exifls  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  town  of  Sonfonate  ;  another 
on  the  plain  of  Sta.  Tecla  or  Nueva  Salvador  ;  and  flill  another  by  the 
fide  of  the  camino  real  defcending  from  the  heights  of  Jiboa,  near  the  city 
of  San  Vicente. 


Note  27,  page  79. 

THE  Fray  Diego  Duran,  in  his  as  yet  unpublifhed  "  Hijtoria  Antigua 
de  la  Nxeva  Ejpana,  con  Noticias  de  les  Ritos  y  Coftumbres  de  los 
Indies,  etc."  written  in  1585,  gives  very  interelling  accounts  of  the 
facrifices  practiced  by  the  Nahuatls  of  Mexico.     He  fays  that  one  of  the 
'  greatefl  and  moft  folemn  feafls  was  that  of  the  idol  called  Tezcatlipoca, 
'  which  this  fuperftitious  people  folemnized  with  many  fingular  rites  and 
'  facrifices,  equalling  thofe  performed  in  honor  of  Huitzlipochtli.     It  was 
'  called  Toxcatl,  a  feaft  relating  to  the  number  of  their  calendar  which 
'  was   Toxcatl  ;   but  there  was  alfo  another  at  this  time  in  honor  of 
'  Tezcatlipoca  —  which  idol,  in  the  city  of  Mexico,  was  of  a  flone  of 
'  very  fhining  black  (obfidian,  itzli  or  divine  flone)  like  jet  —  a  flone  of 
'  which  they  make  arrows  and  knives.     In  fome  of  the  cities  the  idol 


[    "8  ] 

"  was  competed  of  a  tree  carved  in  the  figure  of  a  man,  all  over  black 
"  from  the  face  down,  with  the  forehead,  nofe  and  mouth  white,  or  of  the 
"  color  of  the  Indians,  clothed  in  gay  drefs,  after  the  Indian  fafhion.  In 
"  its  ears  were  rings  of  gold  and  filver,  in  the  lower  lip  a  bezoar  ftone, 
"  and  on  its  head  plumes  of  red  and  green  feathers.  Back  of  the  head 
"  was  the  fign  of  {moke,  indicating  that  he  heard  the  prayers  of  finners, 
"  around  the  neck  was  a  collar  of  gold  fo  large  as  to  cover  the  breaft ; 
"  on  the  arms  two  bracelets  of  gold ;  at  the  navel  a  rich  green  ftone ;  in 
"  the  left  hand  a  fan  of  rich  feathers,  furrounding  a  circular  plate  of 
"  gold,  highly  polimed  like  a  mirror,  by  which  was  meant  that  in  this 
"  was  reflected  all  the  doings  of  the  world  ;  it  was  called  Itlachia, 
"  Viewer.  In  the  right  hand  fome  darts  which  fignified  that  he  punifhed 
"  fins ;  for  which  reafon  he  was  held  in  great  fear.  At  his  feafts  every 
"  four  years  was  granted  remiffion  of  fins,  on  which  occafion  they  flew 
"  and  ate  an  effigy  of  this  idol.  On  the  top  of  his  feet  he  had  20  bells 
"  of  gold,  and  on  the  right  foot  the  fore  foot  of  a  deer  to  fignify  his 
"  lightnefs  and  agility  in  his  works.  It  had  alfo  a  cloak  well  worked, 
"  black  and  white,  with  a  fringe  of  red,  black  and  white  rofettes,  and 
"  adorned  with  feathers. 

"  The  temple  in  which  was  this  idol  was  very  high  and  beautiful, 
"  afcended  by  80  fteps,  and  at  the  top  was  a  level  fpace  12  or  14  feet 
"  broad,  and  adjoining  it  a  dark  chamber,  lined  with  rich  cloths,  of 
"  various  colors,  with  fringes  of  feathers,  after  the  manner  of  ornament- 
"  ing  their  temples,  fo  that  the  chamber  was  obfcure,  and  the  idol  dark 
"  and  myfterious.  None  except  the  priefts  dared  enter  here.  In  front 
"  of  the  entrance  to  this  chamber  was  an  altar  of  the  height  of  a  man, 
"  above  which  was  placed  a  pedeftal  for  the  idol.  The  altar  was  like 
"  thofe  ufed  by  the  Chriftians,  and  was  covered  with  rich  cloths.  Above 
"  the  head  of  the  idol  was  a  coftly  canopy,  adorned  with  feathers,  gold 
"  and  precious  ftones. 

"  They  celebrated  the  feaft  of  this  idol  on  the  1 9th  of  May,  according 
"  to  our  reckoning,  and  according  to  theirs  it  was  the  4th  feaft  of  their 
"  calendar  and  called  Toxcatl.  On  the  eve  of  this  feaft  came  the  lord  of 
"  the  temple,  and  put  on  new  robes  and  ornaments,  fo  as  to  refemble 
"  the  deity  they  were  about  to  worfhip.  Each  idol  had  its  peculiar 
"  infignas.  When  all  was  ready,  they  came  to  the  temple  called  Titla- 
"  cauan,  and  blew  on  a  flute,  firft  to  the  north,  then  to  the  eaft,  fouth 
"  and  weft — whereupon  all  knelt  to  the  earth  and  taking  up  a  little  in  their 
"  fingers  ate  the  fame.  When  the  thieves  and  other  criminals  heard  the 
"  flutes  they  were  in  great  fear  of  vengeance  from  the  gods,  and  fought 
"  pardon.  The  foldiers  and  valiant  men  fpent  the  day  in  liftening  to 
"  the  mufic,  celebrating  Tezcat/ipoca,  Huitzlipocbtli,  Cibuacoatl,  £>uet- 
"  zalcoatl  and  the  Sun,  which  are  the  principal  gods  whom  they  adore." 


[  "9  J 


Note  28,  page  81. 

ACCORDING  to  Oviedo,  the  Fray  Francifco  de  Bobadilla  got 
together  a  number  of  leading  perfons  among  the  Nahuatls  of 
Nicaragua,  immediately  after  the  conqueft,  and  queftioned  them 
concerning  their  religion,  their  rites  of  burial,  etc.,  thereby  eliciting  many 
curious  and  interefting  fads,  which  illuftrate,  in  no  fmall  degree,  the  text 
of  Palacio.  They  teftified  that  when  their  legitimate  children  died,  they 
wrapped  them  in  cotton  cloth,  and  buried  them  before  their  doors.  If 
a  man  died  without  children,  his  perfonal  property  was  buried  with  him ; 
if  he  had  children,  it  was  divided  among  them.  On  the  death  of  a  chief 
or  cazique,  "  a  portion  of  all  his  effects,  cotton  cloth,  plumes,  hunting 
"  horns,  gold  and  filver,  etc.,  etc.,  was  burned  with  his  body,  and,  with 
"  the  ames,  gathered  together  and  buried  in  an  earthen  vafe  in  the  houfe 
"  of  the  dead  man."  They  believed  that  theju/io  or  foul  of  the  departed, 
if  he  had  lived  well,  went  on  high,  with  the  gods ;  if  he  had  lived  badly, 
it  perifhed  with  his  body  and  was  no  more.  Fuentes  ftates  that  in  Guate 
mala,  moft  of  the  perfonal  property  of  the  dead  was  buried  with  them, 
and  adds,  that  in  fome  parts  they  raifed  over  the  corpfe  "  un  cerillo,  mas 
"  6  menos  alto,  fegun  la  calidad  del  difunto ;  y  efte  fe  fabricaba  de  piedra 
"  y  lodo,  de  que  fe  vean  hoy  infinitos  por  todas  las  llanuras  de  eftos 
"  excelentes  y  fecundifimos  valles,  que  llaman  ctief" 


Note  29,  page  83, 

AMONG  the  Nahuatls  of  Nicaragua,  according  to  Oviedo,  marriage 
was  a  civil  rite,  performed  by  the  cazique,  and  the  ceremonies 
were  much  the  fame  as  thofe  practiced  among  the  Mexicans.  The 
matches  were  arranged  by  the  parents  of  the  parties ;  and  as  foon  as  the 
bargain  was  concluded,  two  fowls  and  a  rula  (a  kind  of  houfe-dog)  were 
killed,  fome  cacao  prepared,  and  the  friends  and  neighbors  invited  to  the 
feaft.  This  finifhed,  the  cazique  led  the  couple  into  a  fmall  houfe, 
devoted  to  that  purpofe,  in  which  a  fire  of  refin  was  kindled,  where,  after 
giving  them  a  lecture,  he  left  them  to  themfelves.  When  the  fire  was 
burned  out,  the  rite  was  complete.  If  it  proved  that  the  woman  was  not 
a  virgin,  me  was  fent  back  to  her  parents,  and  permanently  difgraced, 
while  the  man  was  at  liberty  to  marry  again.  The  couple,  after  mar 
riage,  received  from  their  parents  a  piece  of  land  and  certain  fruit  trees, 
which,  if  they  died  childlefs,  reverted  to  their  refpedlive  families.  But 
one  wife  was  permitted  to  any  man  except  the  cazique,  although  concu- 


binage  was  practiced  by  thofe  who  could  afford  it.  Bigamy  was  punifhed 
by  exile,  and  by  confiscation  of  property  for  the  benefit  of  the  firft  wife 
or  hufband,  who  was  then  at  liberty  to  marry  again.  This  privilege  was 
not  however  extended  to  women  having  children.  Adultery  on  the  part 
of  the  wife,  fubjefted  her  to  fevere  flogging,  and  to  be  fent  back  to  her 
family ;  but  fhe  ftill  retained  her  effeds.  It  liberated  the  hufband  from 
his  marital  obligations ;  the  woman,  however,  could  not  marry  again. 
Relationfhip,  beyond  the  firft  degree,  was  no  bar  to  marriage.  Marriages 
within  families,  on  the  contrary,  were  encouraged  as  "  tightening  the 
bonds  of  relationfhip."  Inceft  was  unknown;  but  the  man  who  debauched 
the  daughter  of  his  mafler  or  cazique,  was  buried  alive,  with  the  partner 
of  his  guilt.  The  man  who  committed  rape  was  feized,  confined,  and 
unlefs  he  could  make  reparation,  by  large  prefents,  to  the  injured  woman 
or  her  parents,  became  her  or  their  (lave.  Sodomites  were  ftoned  to 
death.  Proftitqtes  were  tolerated,  and  the  price  of  their  favors  limited 
to  ten  amands  of  cacao.  They  were  accompanied  by  bullies,  who 
however,  did  not  mare  their  gains.  Eftablifhments,  or  houfes  of 
proftitution,  were  kept  publicly.  On  the  occafion  of  a  certain  annual 
ieftival,  it  was  permitted  that  all  the  women,  of  whatever  condition,  might 
abandon  themfelves  to  the  arms  of  whomfoever  they  pleafed.  [Rigid 
fidelity,  however,  was  exafted  at  all  other  times. 

Parents  might  traffic  with  the  perfons  of  their  daughters,  without  fub- 
jefting  themfelves  to  punifhment.  Proftitution  was  fometimes  reforted 
to  by  girls,  whofe  parents  were  unable  to  provide  for  them  a  proper 
marriage  portion.  When  one  of  thefe,  having  by  this  means,  fecured  a 
competence,  defired  to  withdraw  from  that  mode  of  life,  fhe  procured  a 
piece  of  ground  whereon  to  build  a  houfe,  and  collecting  her  lovers, 
announced  to  them,  that  thofe  defirous  of  having  her  for  a  wife,  muft 
unite  and  build  a  houfe,  after  the  plan  which  fhe  mould  furnifh,  and  that 
when  completed,  fhe  would  feleft  her  hufband  from  amongft  them.  The 
houfe  being  built  and  flocked,  a  feaft  was  prepared,  at  the  clofe  of  which 
the  girl  took  the  man  of  her  choice  by  the  arm  and  led  him  away,  ex 
ulting  to  be  preferred  over  his  rivals.  The  rejected  lovers,  fays  the 
chronicler,  "  generally  take  it  patiently,  but  occafionally  one  fufpends 
"  himfelf  from  a  tree,  in  order  that  the  devil  may  have  his  part  in  the 
"  wedding,  and  is  eaten  for  his  pains." 

Note  30,  page  93. 

ARCHAEOLOGISTS  are  aware  that  the  early  monkifh  writers 
placed  great  ftrefs  on  the  facl:  that  crofTes  were  difcovcred  in 
various  parts  of  America,  at  the  time  of  the  Conqueft,  whence 


[     121     ] 

they  deduced  fome  very  extraordinary  conclufions.  Don  Carlos  de 
Siguenza  y  Gongora  fpeaks  of  one  taken  from  the  cave  of  Mixteca-baxa, 
and  venerated  in  his  day,  in  the  convent  church  of  Tonola,  dedicated  to 
St.  Dominic.  This  crofs,  he  avers,  was  "  difcovered  by  the  mufic  of 
"  angels  being  heard  in  faid  cave,  on  every  vigil  of  the  apoftle  St. 
"  Thomas,"  who,  according  to  this  pious  hypothecs,  introduced  Chrif- 
tianity  into  America,  immediately  after  the  era  of  Chrift.  Gomara, 
Bernal  Diaz,  and  others  mention  crofles  in  Yucatan,  and  Boturini  tefti- 
fies  to  having  frequently  met  with  them  in  the  paintings.  His  error 
however,  confills  in  miftaking  the  fymbolical  Tonacaquabuitl,  or  Tree  of 
Life,  for  a  crofs.  This  is  not  the  place  to  attempt  an  explanation  of  the 
ideas  connected  with  this  fymbol,  which  has  lately  been  taken  as  one  of 
the  evidences  of  Phoenician  eftablimments  in  America  !  It  may  be 
obferved  however  that  the  facred  tree  was  varioufly  reprefented,  always 
of  courfe  in  a  conventional  fpirit.  In  fome  cafes  its  branches  took  the 
form  of  a  crofs,  furmounted  by  a  bird,  and  furrpunded  by  various  fym- 
bols.  This  form  was  retained  in  a  few  of  the  monuments,  as  well  as  in 
the  paintings,  as  will  be  feen  by  reference  to  the  principal  tablet  dif 
covered  by  Mr.  Stephens  at  Palenque,  in  what  he  denominates  Cafa 
No.  2.  I  alfo  found  monolithic  figures,  fculptured  in  the  form  of 
crofles,  among  the  ruins  in  the  ifland  of  Zapatero,  in  Lake  Nicaragua. 
{Nicaragua,  its  People,  Scenery,  Monuments,  etc.,  vol.  ii,  pp.  58-62). 


Note  31,  page  96. 

THIS  paragraph  is  omitted  in  Terneaux  Com  pan's  tranflation.  Mr. 
Stephens  obtained  a  brief  vocabulary  at  Zacapa,  thirty  miles  to 
the  northweft  of  Copan,  which  he  communicated  to  Mr.  Gallatin, 
by  whom  it  was  publifhed  (Trans.  Am.  Ethnological  Soc.,  vol.  i,  p.  9). 
Of  this  dialed  Mr.  Gallatin  obferves  (7^.,  p.  6)  that  "  It  appears  to  b: 
"  the  general  language  of  the  department  of  Chiquimula,  and  extends 
"  eafterly,  as  far  at  leaft  as  the  fite  of  the  ancient  Copan."  The  Chorti 
however,  as  given  in  the  vocabulary  of  Stephens,  is  only  a  dialed!  of  the 
fame  mother  tongue,  of  which  the  Maya,  Kachiquel,  etc.,  are  varieties. 
This  is  perfectly  confident  with  the  hypothefis  that  it  is  the  fame  with 
that  denominated  by  Palacio  the  Apay,  and  which  he  affirms  coincided 
in  all  eflential  refpccls  with  the  languages  current  in  Yucatan,  and  in  the 
provinces  of  Vera  Paz  and  Chiquimula. 

16 


[  I22  ] 


Note  32,  page  96. 

TO  the  teftimony  of  Cortez,  Bernal  Diaz,  Gomara,  and  Torquemada, 
as  to  the  extent  and  fplendor  of  the  temples  and  public  edifices  of 
Mexico  and  Yucatan,  I  may  add  that  of  Las  Cafas  in  regard  to  thofe 
of  Central  America,  conftituting    part  of  Chapter  lii   of  his    Hijtoria 
Apologetica,  as  yet  unpublished.     The  original  MS.  is  not  very  clear,  and 
there  are  evident  miftakes  by  the  copyift,  but  I  prefer  to  give  the  text 
verbatim  et  literatim,  without  any  attempt  at  emendation  or  improvement. 

"  En  el  Reyno  de  Guatemala,  en  la  parte  que  va  por  la  Sierras,  eftaban 
"  ciudades  de  caba  muy  grandes,  como  era  lo  que  fe  llamaba  Guatemala, 
"  y  otra  que  era  como  la  cabeza  del  Reyno,  llamada  Utlatan,  con  mara- 
"  villofos  edificios  de  cal  y  canto,  de  los  cuales  yo  vi  muchos ;  y  otros 
"  pueblos  fin  numero  de  aquellas  fierras. 

"  Por  la  parte  de  los  llanos  de  la  cofta  de  la  Mar  del  Sur,  toda  tierra 
"  felicifima,  cuando  al  principle  entraron  en  aquella  tierra  los  Efpagnoles, 
"  eran  tantos  y  tan  grandes  los  pueblos  y  lugares  y  de  tan  immenfas 
"  gentes  poblados,  que  los  que  iban  delante  volvian  muchas  veces  atras  al 
"  capitan,  pidiendole  albricias  que  habian  hallado  otra  ciudad  como  la  de 
"  Mexico ;  y  efto  cuafi  a.  cada  pafo,  como  los  veian  tan  grandes. 

"  El  Reyno  de  Yucatan  quo  dura  mas  que  dos  cientas  y  cincuenta 
"  leguas  fus  contornos,  los  edificios  achnirables  que  tenia  y  hoy  eftanharto 
"  claros  no  parece  que  fon  menos  dignos  dc  admiracion,  que  las  pira- 
"  mides.  Habia  los  tantos  y  tales  y  tan  grandes,  y  en  ellos  cofas  fenaladas 
"  y  de  notar  que  parece  haber  fido  impofible  por  hombres  edificarlos. 

."  Entre  otras  cofas  mcmoralifimas  que  alii  habia  eran  que  como  toda 
"  aquella  provincia  6  reyno  fea  todo  llano,  y  el  fuelo  cubierto  de  las  laxas 
"  6  penas  lianas  de  que  arriba,  en  el  Cap.  30,  digimos  fer  la  provincia 
"  de  Hyguey  de  efta  ifla  como  naturalmente  fqlada  y  toda  de  arboladas 
"  cubierta,  eftaban  hechos  unos  como  grandes  monies  6  fierras  de  tierra, 
"  y  fobre  cllos  edificios  dc  piedra  y  canteria,  labrados  y  fundados  fobre 
"  fortifimos  y  ertrafios  cimientos  fu  cima  de  lo  alto,  de  los  cuales  habia 
"  hechos  de  boveda  otros  mas  artificiofos  y  fuertes  y  pulidos,  que  folo  en 
"  un  cuarto  de  cuartro  pucdcn  caber  cien  hombres  bien  apofentados. 

"  Tienen  algunos  de  circuito  media  iegua  y  no  mucho  menos,  y  vanfe 
"  hacia  lo  alto  enfangoftado  cuafi  como  las  pyramides.  Parece  que 
"  millares  de  gente  no  podian  haberlos  edificado  en  cicuenta  anos. 
"  Tienen  efculpidas  en  las  piedras  muchas  imagencs  y  antiguallas  ;  y  aun 
"  dicefe  que  parecen  tener  letreros  que  digan  algo  de  ciertos  carafteres. 
"  Prefumefe  haber  fido  fepulturas  dc  Reyes  y  Sefiores  grandes. 

"  La  Provincia  que  llamamos  de  Honduras  tenia  pueblos  inpuinerables  y 


[   I23  ] 

"  una  vega  de  treinta  legiias  y  mas,  toda  muy  poblada.  La  provincia  de 
"  Naco  y  de  Zula,  la  ciudad  de  Naco,  que  tenia  fobre  dos  cientos  mil 
"  animas,  y  muchos  cdiftcios  de  piedra,  en  cfpecial  los  templos  en  que 
"  adoraban. 

"  La  Regia  y  felicifima  provincia  de  Nicaragua  ?  quien  numerara  fus 
"  poblaciones  tantas  y  tan  grandes  ?  Y  como  fea  tan  anciana  y  de  fructas 
"  fuavifimas  tan  abundante,  primero  ponian  los  arboles  y  frutales  que  los 
"  pueblos  edificafen. 

"La  de  Nicoya  que  es  en  el  mifmo  Reyno  de  Nicaragua,  hacia  el 
"  Golfo  que  entra  en  la  tierra  bien  doce  leguas,  lleno  de  iflas  pobladas, 
"  toda  a  la  Mar  del  Sur ;  fus  pueblos  y  numerofidad  de  vecinos  eran 
"  grandes,  puefto  que  las  cafas  no  eran  dc  piedra  fino  de  madera  muy 
"  bien  hechas  y  cubiertas  de  paja.  Comunmente  donde  la  tierra  es 
"  fria  todas  las  cafas  de  los  pueblos  fon  de  madera  y  paja,  y  en  muchas 
"  partes  las  cubren  de  hojas  de  palmas  por  que  las  hay  tan  anchas  como 
"  una  rodela  y  cuafi  en  partes  como  una  adarga.  Siempre  los  templos 
"  edificaba  de  piedra  6  de  adobes  por  lo  alto  cubiertos  de  paja,  puefto 
"  que  no  en  todos,  pero  en  muchas  partes." 

Fuentes  fpeaks  of  the  numerous  large  towns  and  cities  found  in  Guate 
mala  as  proof  that  its  aboriginal  fovereigntics  were  fcarcely  lefs  powerful 
than  thofe  of  Guatemala  and  Peru.  He  mentions  particularly  the  public 
buildings  ot  Gueguetenango,  Chialchitan,  and  others  found  in  the  depart 
ment  of  Vcra  Paz  and  "  la  fabrica  marabillofa  y  fubterranea  del  pueblo 
"  de  Puchuta  que  fiendo  de  firmifima  y  folida  argama  fe  camina  y  corre 
"  por  lo  interior  de  la  tierra  por  diftancia  prolongada  de  nueve  leguas, 
"  hafta  el  pueblo  de  Tecpan  Goatemala,  que  es  argumento  y  prueba  del 
"  foberano  poder  de  aqudlos  reyes,  y  numerofidad  fin  calculo  de  los 
"  vafallos  que  los  obedician."  He  fpeaks  alfo  of  the  great  fortrefs  of 
Parrafquin,  "  la  memorable  y  prodigifa  fortaliza,"  which  is  feen  defcend- 
ing  from  Totonicapan,  on  the  South  coaft.  Looking  at  all  things,  he 
fays,  "  me  hace  creer  que  aun  no  podre  comprender  para  efcribir  todo  lo 
"  que  hay  de  marabillas  fingulares  en  eftas  nuevas  y  apreciables  pro- 
"  vincias." 

To  the  fame  cffecl  is  the  teftimony  of  Dr.  Alonzo  de  Zurita,  Auditor 
of  Mexico,  who  wrote  before  Palacio,  in  1554.  He  vifited  Utlatan  and 
Guatemala,  and  has  left  us  fome  interefting  particulars  concerning  thofe 
regions  in  a  MS.  relation  which  formerly  exifted  in  the  library  of  the 
college  of  San  Pedro  y  San  Pablo  in  Mexico,  where  it  was  feen  and 
copied  by  Boturini : 

"  En  Utlatan  habia  muchos  y  muy  grandes  cues  6  templos  de  fus 
"  Idolos,  de  marvillofos  edificios,  y  yo  vi  algunos  aunque  muy  arruina- 
"  dos ;  y  alii  tenian  cues  otros  pueblos  comarcanos,  y  el  mas  principal 


[     124    ] 

"  de  eftos  el  de  un  pueblo  que  llaman  Chiquimula,  y  tenian  a  efle  pueblo 
"  de  Utlatan  como  fantuario,  y  a  efta  caufa  habia  en  el  tantos  y  tan 
"  principales  cues.  El  Seiior  de  Chiquimula  folia  tener  mucha  gente  y 
"  pueblos,  y  quando  alii  eftube  lo  vi  muy  pobre  y  miferable." 


INDEX 


A  CACEBASTLAN,  Valley  of, 

**•    21. 

Acajutla,  Port  of,  39. 

Accouchment,  Indian  Practices  con 
cerning,  32,  79. 

Achi,  Language,  21. 

Adultery,  how  punifhed,  85. 

Aguachapa,  Town,  47. 

River,  23,  35,  53. 

Ahuachapam,  Aufoles  of,  109. 

Alligators,  Numbers  and  Mode  of 
Capture,  25. 

Alvarado,  Pedro  de,  33. 

Amatitan,  Lake,  29. 

Ants,  eaten  by  the  Indians,  5 1 . 

Ant-eaters,  45. 

Apaneca,  Town,  43. 

Apay,  Language,  21,  96,  1 21. 

Ataco,  Town,  43. 

Ataquizaya,  Town,  51. 

Atempamacegua,  Town,  61. 

Axin,  a  medicinal  Pafte,  5 1 . 

L>  ALSIMO,  Cofta  de,  in. 
*-^  Balfam  of  Peru,  55,  in. 
Bats,  a  mifchievous  Variety,  29. 


Bees,  29. 

Benjamin,  a  Gum,  65. 
Bezoar  Stone,  43. 
Bermudas,  las,  old  Site  of  San  Sal 
vador,  112. 

Birth,  extraordinary,  91. 
Bifhops,  Statues  of,  93. 
Bobadilla,  Fray  Francifco  de,   119. 
Bole  of  Armenia,  47. 
Book,  ancient,  95. 
Burial  Rites  of  Nicaraguans,   119. 
Burial  alive,  attempt  at,  89. 

QACAO,  Tree  and  Fruit,  35,  63. 
Cultivation  of,  37. 
Ceremonies  in  Planting 

«»  37- 

Production  of,  39. 

Mode  of  counting  it,  3  9. 

As  Money,  107. 

Qualities  of,  107. 
Caechicolchi,  Language,  2 1 . 
Calpules,  or  aboriginal  Barracks,  75, 

117. 

Catherwood,  his  Drawings,  8,  9. 
Caymans,  Size  of  and  Ferocity,  25. 


Centipedes,  27. 

Cerezada,  Andres,  his  Account  of 

Nicaragua,  1 1 6. 
Cezori,  Town,   87. 
Chalcbibites,  53,  73,  no. 
Cbalcbiuliuye,    Mexican    Goddefs, 

1 10. 

Chaparriftique,  113. 
Chiapas,  Province  of,  21  ; 
Languages  in,  21. 
Chiapaneca,  Language,  21. 
Chienanteca,  Language,  21. 
Chiquimula  de  la  Sierra,  21,  23,  87. 
Chirichota,  Language,  21. 
Childbirth,  Ceremonies  of,  79. 
Choluteca,  Province,  21. 

Languages  in,  21, 
Chontal,  Language,  21,  loo,  103. 
Indians,  31,  63,  65,   87, 

"3- 

Chord,  Language,  121. 
Circumcifion,  Practice  of,  87. 
Coatan,  Village  and  Lake  of,   53, 

109. 
Confanguinity,     Laws    concerning, 

S3- 
Copan,  Ruins  of,  91 ;  their  Extent, 

93- 
Cofta  Rica,  Province,  21. 

Languages  in,  21. 
Cotes  or  Jocotes,  29. 
Cotton  Mather,  on   the  Origin   of 

the  Indians,  100. 
CrofTes,  fuppofed,  1 20. 
Cuahtemalteca,  Language,  21. 
Cuatpeque,  Town  and  Lake  of,  109. 
Cuculcan,  Divinity,  no,  115. 
Cues,  or  aboriginal  Temples,  65. 
Cuzcatlan,  59. 

TRANCES,  religious,  79. 
Duran,  Fray  Diego,  117. 


pARTHQUAKE,  in  San  Salva- 

*"*     dor,  59. 

Errata,  Page  10,  8th  Line  from  the 

Top,   read  Ocofmgo  for 

Olofingo. 
Page  1  02,   1  5th  Line  from 

the  Top,  read  Nueva  Se 

govia  for  Nueva  Segoria. 
Eftapa  or  Iftapa,  Port  of,  33,  107. 


,  extraordinary,  29. 
Feftivals,  Mexican,  117,  118. 
Flies,  venemous  Varieties  of,  27. 
Fuentes,  Hiftorian,  99,  1  06,  no, 

123. 
Funeral  Rites,  81. 


,  Fray  Thomas,  107. 
^-^  Galindo,  Col.,  his  Account  of 

the  Ruins  of  Copan,  8. 
Gilopango,  or  llopangOj  61,  113. 
Gotera,  Town,  87. 

Cazique  of,  87. 
Gracias  a  Dios,  Town,  87. 
Guaramal,  Barranca  of,    55,    in. 
Guatemala,  Audicncia  of,  19. 

Commiflion  for  Explor 

ation  of,  19. 
Extent  of,  19, 
Boundaries  of,  19. 
Provinces  in,  21. 
Languages    fpoken    in, 

21. 

Origin  of  Name  of,  99. 
Guaymoco,  Town  of,  35,  55. 
Guazacapan,  Coaft  of,  Extent  and 

Productions,  23. 
Climate,  27. 
Character  of  Inhabit 

ants,  31. 

Reduction  of,  105. 
Guija,  of  Guijar,  Lake,  115. 


I   I27  ] 


UERRARA,  Hiftorian,  6,  101. 
Hervas,  Philologift,  Errors  of, 

104,  105. 
Honduras,  Province,  zi. 

Languages  in,  21. 
Hunaphu,  or  Volcan  de  Agua,  99. 
Hutateca,  Language,  21. 


,  Idol,  87. 

Sacrifices  to,  87. 
Ilopango,  Lake  of,  61,  113. 
Intermittent  Springs,  57,  112. 
Inceft,  Punifhment  of,  1  20. 
Incenfe,  Copal  and  Caoutchouc,  69. 
Iflands,  facred,  53. 
Itzqueye,  Female  Divinity,  69,  73, 

75- 
Iximche,  Indian  Name  of  Guate 

mala,  99. 

Izalco,  Province  of,  21. 
Languages  of,  21. 
Defcription  of,  35. 
Iztepeque,  Town,  63. 

JIBOA,  Plain  of,  63. 
Juarros,  Hiftorian,  7. 
Juitemal,  firft  King  of  the  Kachi- 
quels,  99. 

1^  ACHIQUEL  Indians,  99,101. 

TA  CENIZA,  River,  41. 
•^  Lag  ana  Verde,  109. 
Las  Cafas,  Bifhop,  his  Account  of 
aboriginal    Cities    and  Temples, 

122. 

Lake  on  Top  of  a  Mountain,  89. 
La  Trinidad,  Cities  of,  41,  109. 
Volcano  near,  41. 
Lava  Fields,  57,  lit, 


Lempa,  River,  23. 
Liars,  how  punifhed,  85. 

\X4LPATS,  57,  112. 

Mamey,  Language,  21. 
Mangue,  Language,  21,  23. 
Marabio,  Language,  21. 
Marriages,  how  arranged  and  cele 

brated,  83,  119. 
Mexican,  Language,  21. 
Mexicans,  Eftablifhment  of,  in  Cuf- 

catlan  or  San  Salvador,  5. 
Michatoyat,  River,  23. 

Falls  in,  29,  105. 
Micboacan,  a  medicinal  Root,  63. 
Micla,  a  facred  Village,  65. 
Miracle  of  an  old  Woman  giving 

Suck,  45. 

Mitote,  religious  Dance,  8  1,  95. 
Mojarras,  a  kind  of  Fifh,  61,  113. 
Mourning  for  the  Dead,  81. 
Muflcians,  Indians,  65. 
Munoz,  Royal  Hiftoriographer,  3. 

TSJAHUATL  or  Mexican  Lan- 

guage>   !  °°>   !  !  4- 

Nefticpac,  fulphureous  Lakes  of,  31. 
Nicaragua,  Province,  21. 

Languages  in,  21. 
Nicoya,  Province,  21. 

Languages  in,  21. 
Nixapa,  Town,  57. 
Nunualco,  Indians,  63. 
Numeration,  Indian  Syftem  of,  39. 

QAKS,  great,  51. 

^^^   Ocofingo,  Relics  from,  110. 


,  Dr.  Don  Diego  Gar 
cia,  Life  and  Writings  of,  13. 
Petrifications,     extraordinary,     43, 
108. 


Pipil,  Language,  21,  100. 

Indians   and    their   Cuftoms, 
31,65. 

Origin  of  Name,  101. 
Poconchi,  Language,  21. 
Popoluca,  Language,   21,31,   I  oo, 

103, 

Poton,  Language,  21,  114. 
Pottery,  Manufacture  of,  47. 
Prifoners  of  War,  how  facrificed, 

73; 
Proftitution,  how  regarded,  1 20, 

QUETZAL,  a  facred  Bird,  65, 
115. 

Quetzalcoatl,  Divinity  worfhiped  by 
the  Indians,   69,   73,    75,   no, 
115. 
Quiche  Indians,  99. 

"D  APE,  how  punifhed,  85. 

^  Refpiraderos,  49. 
Ruins  of  Copan,  9 1 . 

Traditions  concerning, 

95 


yj 

Probable  Origin,  96. 


CACRIFICES,  Indian  Mode  of, 
67,69,75,77, 
87. 

Human,  71,  1 16. 
For  planting,  75. 
For  hunting,  77. 
On    occalion    of 
Childbirth,  79. 
For  the  Dead,  8 1 . 
Mexican,  1 1 7. 
Sacrilege,  Punifhment  of,  85. 
San  Miguel,  Province,  21. 

Languages  in,  21. 


San  Salvador,  Province,  21. 

Languages  in,  21. 

Volcano  of,  57. 

City  of,  59, 

When  Founded,  112. 

Deftruftion     of,     by 

Earthquakes,  59. 
Salt,  Indian  Manufacture  of,  23; 
Santa  Tecla,  113. 

Ruins  in,  117. 
Savannahs,  great,  27. 
Scarabaeus,  extraordinary  Variety  of, 

27-. 

Scorpions,  27,  5  I. 
Soconufco,  Province  of,  21. 

Languages  in,  21. 
Sonfonate,  City  of,  41,  109. 
Sodomy,  Punimment  of,  120. 
Spices,  87. 
Springs  of  hot  Water,  47,  49,  61, 

63,  87,  109. 
Sta.  Ana,  Town,  53. 
Stephens,  his  Account  of  Copan,  8. 
Suchitoto,  Town,  112. 
Suchitepequez,  Province  of,  21. 
Languages  in,  21. 

HpAGUZ-GALPA,  Province  of, 

21. 

Languages  in,  21. 
Tapirs,  45,  89. 
Taulepa,  Language,  21,  114. 
Tauleba,  Lake,  114. 
Tec9acuangos,  Mountains,  59. 
Tecpa,  Town,  43. 
TeRi,  facerdotal  Chief  or  Pope,  65. 

Mode  of  his  Burial,  67. 

Election  of,  67. 
Temples,  aboriginal,  116. 
Teitpas,  or  Indian  Priefts,  65,  69, 

r73- 
Teupixquis,  fubordinate  Priefts,   65 , 


[   129  ] 


Tcrneaux-Compans,  M.,  3.  T^T^AR,  Mode  of  making,  71. 

Tlacacebaftleca,  Language,  21.  Wounding,  Punifhment  of, 

Tloque,  Language,  21.  85. 

Toads,  51. 

Tonola,  Coaft  of,  35,  1  1  1.  VUG  AT  AN,  96. 

Tree  of  Life,  121.  *     Yojoa,  Lake,  1  14. 

TJBETLATECA,  Language,  21.  ^APOTECA,  Language,  105. 

Ulua,  Language,  21,  114.  ^  Zeldal-quelen,  Language,  21. 

Uxaca,  Lake,  63.  Zozil,  Language,  21. 

Zurita,  the  Chronicler,  123. 

VfERA  PAZ,  Province  of,  21.  Zutugil  Indians,  99,  114. 

Languages,  21.  Ceremonies    of   Childbirth 

Viftory,  Mode  of  celebrating,  73.  among,  106. 

Volcanoes,  41,  57. 


SPANISH    ERRATA. 


Page  1 8, 

"  22, 

u  (I 

u  (( 

u  u 

"  24, 

"  26, 

"  28, 

41  44 

U  « 


"  3°' 

44     « 

"  3*. 


"  34, 

«     a 


44  44 

«  3«' 

"  38, 

44  44 


4°, 


"  4*, 

44         44 

"  44, 

44         44 


line  I,  for  variadadcs,  read  -va- 

ridades. 

"     9,  for  mucho,  read  muchos. 
"   1 6,  a  comma  after  /4an  mene- 

Jier. 

"   1 8,  for  gafta,  read  gaflan. 
"   26,  for  alliende,  read  allende. 
"     5,  for  admira,  aunque,    read 

admira  aun,  quc,  etc. 
"   2^,  for fcfaran,  read  fe  paran. 
"     7,  for  e/,  read  <r//a, 
"     9,  for  fe,  readji. 
"  20,  for  /«,  read  /o. 
"  23,  for  •vud'va.n  read  iiuel'ven. 
"   24,  for  Jeparan,  read/c  faran. 
"      I,  for  hcran,  read  /  heran. 
"     2,  after  podcrofos,  put  femi- 

colon. 

"      3,  fupprefs  fecond  wai. 
"   n,  comma  after  ferbido,  and 

forfepafc,  read  ^c  />a/«. 
"   1 8,  comma  after  J/c^o. 
"  25,  for  mudarjcy  read  mudaffe. 
"     4,  for  rcmarfo,  read  rcmanjo. 
"      5,  for  extra,  read  entrado. 
"    IO,  comma  after  hacer. 
"   1 1,  dele  comma  after  corrientt. 
"14,  infert  «  after  i^«tf. 
"   20,  for  comunamcnte,  read  ro- 

munmentc. 

"   25,  for  roiizi,  read  Woi. 
"   27,  for  quartroj  read  quatro. 
"  29,  for  canto,  read  conte. 
"   1 5,  for  ^a,  read  ^zn. 
"   25,  for    f>o/icion,    fuftentarje, 
read    pojicion  ;    fuflen- 

tanfe,  etc. 
"      I,  for  f alto  de  otro  ta/}  e  toda 

efta  comarca,  read  falta 
de  otro  tal  en  toda  cjla 
comarca  ;  etc: 
"     9,  for  Efpcdido,  read   £//><- 

lido. 
"     4,  for  ifertilidad,  read  /_/<:r- 

tilidad. 
"   20,  for  engaftana'as,  read  <•«- 

ganadas. 
"      4,  for  mamada  a-vtriguet  read 

mamaba,  averiguc,  etc. 
"     9,  for  yuife,  read  que  fe. 


Page  44,  line  I  3,  put  comma  after  miferi- 

cordia. 

"  46,  "      I,  femicolon  after  medico. 

"     "  "      3,  colon  after  mucho. 

«     44  i4      y^  for  bacja  rea(j  bariaf 

44     44  «   20,  puj  yae  after  humo. 

"  48,  "     8,  for/a/f,  read/a^. 

"  5°,  "      3,  f°r  dicho,  read  dicha. 

"    "  "     5,  for  is,  read  es. 

"  52,  "   10,  for  Con,  read  £». 

"  54,  "   20,  for  auji,  read  anji. 

44  44  «  22,  (jeje  comrna  after  fuego. 

«  u  44   2 ,j,  put  femicolon  after  -volcan. 

(f  44  44   24,  for  ^ac  manda,  read  y«<r- 

"    56,   "    IO,  for  o/ra,  read  otro. 
"   58,  "   1 6,  17;    put  period  after  j?/"- 
pantada,  and  read  £n  /oi 
arrabalcs  dc  la  Cuidad, 
falen  tres  hojos,  etc. 
"   60,  "      i,  for  que,  read  de. 
"    "     "   10,  for  ella,  read  ellos. 
44    (i     44   22,  for  tienan,  read  tienen. 
"   64,  "     8,  for  colorados,   read    co/o- 

"    "     "    1 8,  for  habla,  read  habian. 
"   68,  "     7,  for  hecha,  read  hechas  a. 
44    44     «  21,  for  cerra,  read  cerraban. 
"   70,   "      I,  for />or,  read /><jra. 
"  72,   "      2,  colon  after  manes. 
"    "      "      4,  for  mana,  read  mano. 
"   74,   "      I,  after faccrdotcs,  put/f. 
"    "      "   29,  for  cAamufcado}  read  cAa- 

mufcada. 
*'    "      "    1 6,  femicolon  after  »'««<:,  and 

dele  comma  after  jigni- 

Jicara. 
"     "      "    I9rfor  cortarban,   read  eer- 

"   78,  "   29,  dele  femicolon  after  r/o. 
and  infert   comma  after 

"   84,   "      2,  after  gentilidadcs,  infert 

MM. 

"  "  "  22,  for  dellos,  read  </<r//a.t. 

"  38,  "  i,  for  trae,  read  traen. 

"•  "  "      6,  for  1764,  read  1564. 

"  88,  "  28,  for  mitro,  read  mitra. 

"  90,  "  i ,  for  grades,  read  gradas. 

"  "  "  5,  for  cfta,  read  t^an. 


ENGLISH  ERRATA. 

Page      IO,  line   8   from  top,  for  Olojingo,  read  Ocofingo* 
"       51,  line  3  from  bottom,  for  -vcncmous,  read  -venomous* 
"     100,  line  I  from  bottom,  for  auxiliair;st  read  auxiliaries, 
**     102,  line  1 5  from  top,  for  Nurva  Segoriat  read  Nucva  Segovia. 
"        "    lines  24  and  25  from  top,  for  barbero,  read  barbaro. 


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